Day 11: Following God's Direction

What does it mean to take direction from God? In our twenties, we know right from wrong. We know what we should be doing and what we should not be doing. However, as we start to gain independence, we tend to get very hardheaded. We start to stray from the direction we have been given and try to take our own route. The main ages being 18 and 21. I've been both of these ages, and they haven't been my best years. The moment I felt like I could take care of myself, I stopped listening to my parents, moved out, and attempted to start my own life. It didn't go too well because I ended up back at home, with my mother being nice enough not to say "I told you so." Today I want to talk about how we sometimes declare independence from God and end up right back where we started, because he was right all along.

Yesterday we talked about believing in God as opposed to ourselves and trusting Him. Today we are going to touch on some similar themes.

Luke 15:11-24

And he said, “There was a man who had two sons. And the younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the share of property that is coming to me.’ And he divided his property between them. Not many days later, the younger son gathered all he had and took a journey into a far country, and there he squandered his property in reckless living. And when he had spent everything, a severe famine arose in that country, and he began to be in need. So he went and hired himself out to one of the citizens of that country, who sent him into his fields to feed pigs.  And he was longing to be fed with the pods that the pigs ate, and no one gave him anything. “But when he came to himself, he said, ‘How many of my father's hired servants have more than enough bread, but I perish here with hunger!  I will arise and go to my father, and I will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Treat me as one of your hired servants.”’ And he arose and came to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion, and ran and embraced him and kissed him. And the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ But the father said to his servants, ‘Bring quickly the best robe, and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet. And bring the fattened calf and kill it, and let us eat and celebrate. For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found.’ And they began to celebrate.

The story of the prodigal or lost son is one of the more popular stories in the bible. If you grew up in church, you know this story back and forth.

Here we have a young heir, who was due to receive his inheritance upon his father’s death. But instead of waiting he goes to his father and demands he get what is owed to him. I guess he got tired of waiting for his father to die and requested his inheritance early. Whatever prompted him to do this, he decided to do as he pleased, and in the end realized how big of a mistake it was. He did not realize how far off he had gone until he hit rock bottom. Why do we have to hit rock bottom before taking direction from God or finally seeking direction? In order to follow God’s direction we must learn to listen to Him, obedience is key.

I like to use the idea of a GPS system to explain this a bit more. Like google maps, or some other app that is much better. When we use a GPS system, sometimes we don’t fully listen to them. If you're like me, and a very impatient driver, I’m working on it, you’re always looking for a shortcut. A better route, and everytime I try to find my own way, the GPS will say, “rerouting”.  I end up finally listening when I realize that I can’t find a shortcut or another way. It ends up taking twice as long because I decided that the journey the GPS chose wasn’t good enough for me. I feel like we do this to God, we sometime don’t like the direction He gives, or think we know a better way. We feel like the direction He has given us isn’t good enough. So we try to go the route we think is best and always end up at a dead end, forcing us back to very place we started. We must understand that, although we might not like or understand the path God has chosen for us, it leads somewhere. It’s definitely not a dead end.

God’s direction is infinite, He sent the Holy Spirit so that we are constantly being lead by Him. The Holy Spirit is constantly guiding our footsteps. When we hear that small still voice within that is so easy to overlook. When we get that gut feeling, or when God clearly shows us where to go. We have to listen.  Sometimes God speaks to us loud and clear, we have to know His voice and follow His words.We soon realize that following Christ isn’t bad at all, there’s so much peace and joy in the Lord. We just have to learn to hear His voice and follow it.

In order for us to follow Christ wholeheartedly and not fall away we need a few tools.

1. We must have0 a solid foundation in Christ. So that even when we stumble we won’t fall. (Matt. 13:1-9)
2. We need faith because sometimes we can’t see where the road we on is leading us. (Hebrews 11)
3. We have to trust that where God is taking us, it is the right place. It is where we need to be. (Jeremiah 29:11)
4. Obedience, we have to learn to listen to His voice, to move when He says move, stop when He says stop. (Luke 11:28)
5. Patience, because when we are seeking direction from God it might not always come when we want it to. Sometimes His direction is to be still. Sometimes God just wants us to be still. He wants us to live in the moment He has given us. Living with God and taking direction from Him isn't always about getting to the next point. It’s about being content with where we are and moving when God leads us to move, because His timing is always perfect. (Romans 8:25, Psalms 37:7-9)  

Psalms 37:23-24

The steps of a man are established by the LORD, when he delights in His way. Though He falls he shall not be cast headlong, for the Lord upholds his hand.

Reflection

1. Is it necessary for us to stray into own paths and stumble, even fall in order to follow God’s direction.
2. Reread Psalms 37:23-24, and ponder what it means to delight in the way of the Lord. Knowing that He will never let us fall He is constantly holding us up.

Prayer Time

As you pray ask God for direction, seek His answer and follow where He leads. If you are in a place where maybe you’ve fallen, or decided to take another way. Now is the time to come back. God won’t condemn you. As the father in the story, He is waiting for and is ready to celebrate your return. It’s never too late to follow Christ or return to Him. If that’s you, just confess and surrender yourself to God, and take this time to resubmit your life to HIm, or give your life to Him for the first time.

If you made the choice to follow Christ, rededicate, or to submit your life to Him fully, Go to Romans 10:9-10

If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved.

And repeat these few words, Lord I give myself to you, I give your my heart and my life. I thank you for saving me, and I confess with my mouth and believe in my heart that you are the true living God. I believe that Jesus is my savior who died and was raised in three days. I ask for your forgives and I thank you for saving me. In your precious and mighty name, amen.

And if you have just prayed that prayer congratulations! welcome to the kingdom of God.

If you have any questions or comments don’t hesistate to contact me via email: theydyamondjbackup@gmail.com or IAmDyamondJ on all social media sites.