Take a Right or a Left?

What two choices are facing you today?

“Should I work out or sleep a few more minutes?”
“Boots or flats with these jeans?”
“Hamburgers or chicken for dinner?”

The choices may be more serious…

“Will I fight this temptation or give in to it?”
“Should I travel this month or next?”
“Will I honor my commitment or just do what I feel like doing?”

Or even more serious…

“Should I marry this person or not?”
“Should I take this job or keep the one I have?”
“Do I go through the surgery even with the risk of possible complications?”

Through life we have many decisions to make. I’ve made some good ones, and let me tell you, I’ve made some terrible ones. Some of us find decision making easy, while some of us find it excruciating. I sometimes have a hard time just deciding on what to make for dinner, let alone the big decisions in my life! (Smile.)

Yesterday was the first day I took a long walk on our gravel road since probably November. It was a beautiful day. The sun was shining, birds were singing, snow was melting (yay!), and it was 58 degrees out there. I even broke out into a full-blown jog a few times!

I paid close attention to my surroundings…the sights, the smells, the warmth of the sun. These kinds of walks seem to clear my head as I walk and talk to God. This one was no different, and that’s the main reason I ventured out. I wanted to “feel” close to God.

At each end of our road, there are signs posted. For some reason, yesterday they grabbed my attention.

As I walked toward them each time, I was filled with the thought that not only am I at a crossroads on this road, I now also might be in my life. I can either take a right or a left. Hmmmm… Yesterday on the road, I turned around. But in life? I’m not so sure.

When we are at a crossroads in life, what do we do? When we come upon an intersection where we have to make a decision about which way we’ll go, how do we decide? Flip a coin? Play “eenie, meeny, miny, moe”? My life is too valuable, and so is yours, to be flipping a coin over it. When driving, we might use a GPS or a map to help us decide. In life, why not do the same?

Guess where I turned to when I got home? Yes, “my GPS” or “map for my life”… my Bible. Proverbs 3:5-6 in The Message translation helped me:

Trust God from the bottom of your heart;
don’t try to figure out everything on your own.
Listen for God’s voice in everything you do, everywhere you go;
he’s the one who will keep you on track.

Boy, that takes the pressure off, doesn’t it? We don’t have to figure out which direction to take on our own. In fact, we aren’t supposed to. God says we are to do two things: 1) Trust Him, and 2) Listen for His voice. That says to me He’ll show us which direction we should go.

Whatever decisions you are making today, I am praying that God encourages you through His Words above. I pray you trust Him and listen for His voice in knowing if you’re to turn right or left. Will you pray that for me too?

Blessings to you on this today!