A few months ago, I was headed to a meeting in Victoria Island. I didn’t know my way to the destination so I decided to use Google Maps. It was a smooth, traffic and hitch free ride and I was enjoying the direction of the map till I got to this road. The thing is, the journey had been smooth all along; tarred roads, traffic lights, good scenery…all up until this point. The map was leading me through this untarred, muddy and dirty market. I was very certain the map was confused. “This road cannot possibly lead me to my destination”, I thought. So I turned around, went back to the beginning of the road and tried to navigate again from there.
Still, the map was leading me to go through the road I had thought was unlikely to take me to my destination. Frustrated with my map, I thought about calling someone or even going back to the beginning of the road to start navigating again. In that moment though, I thought “well, let me just go through the road. Let me even see where it leads”. As I got on the road, Google Maps literally went silent on me. A few metres before getting on that road, it had already told me to go straight and then make a right after a while but as soon as I got on the “unlikely” road, the map fell silent. I was waiting for some affirmation from the map that I was on the right track…but nothing. Surprisingly (or not), the dirty, untarred road was only for a little stretch of the journey. It wasn’t long before I was back on good roads and could see beautiful scenery again; it wasn’t long till I heard Google map’s voice say “turn right” and it wasn’t long till I arrived my destination.
I arrived at my meeting about 5 minutes late because I didn’t listen to the map the first time. I thought the map must have been mistaken. I would have arrived just in time if I’d gone through the unlikely road the first time.
God spoke to me through that experience. As you can imagine, the map represents God. Sometimes, He will lead us through familiar, beautiful and smooth roads, but many times, He will take us through “unlikely” paths. He will lead us through roads that don’t look like they’ll take us to our destinations. The path may look dirty. It may not look glamorous. It may not look like the destination. It may not look like the dream. It may not look like the vision. I’m here to encourage you to stay the course. Stay with God. Trust the path that He has placed you on. He may not take you through your preferred route, but rest assured that He will get you to your destination. The distraction and frustration often peak when you’re very close to your destination. Keep moving forward.
Sometimes, like the map, when we get on those unfamiliar, difficult and bumpy roads of life, God can seem distant and silent even though He’s right there. Truth is, the map had already told me what to do and I just needed to obey. God has already equipped you with all you need to make it to your destination safely. No, He hasn’t abandoned you. He’s right there with you. He just needs you to stay the course and follow the path that He has set before you. It won’t be long till all the pieces come together and you’ll see that He was right there all along, leading you and holding your hand even in the silence. Know that God is not really silent, He’s only working in silence. Not for a moment are you ever forsaken!
Someone’s word for the year is “Move Forward”. You may not be able to shorten your journey but you can definitely prolong it by refusing to follow the path that God has set before you. Obedience will get you to your destination quicker than trying to outsmart God will. You don’t need to keep going around in circles. Move forward in faith.
I know you’re called to be a business mogul but God could be asking you in this season to work for someone else’s establishment; or maybe you’ve launched out at God’s command and things aren’t going as you imagined. I know you’re called to the nations, but God is asking you in this season to touch one individual. I know the man you’re hoping to marry is supposed to be tall, dark, handsome and rich but God is placing a love in your heart from this man who is just your height, not a super model and not earning 6 digits just yet. Don’t resist. There’s more than you can see with your eyes. There are lessons to be learnt on the path He has placed you on. Don’t despise the path. Don’t despise your journey and don’t for a moment think that you’re lost. God is right there, leading you. He’s your ever reliable map and compass!
Think on the verses below and be refreshed in your spirit!
The steps of a [good] man are directed and established by the Lord when He delights in his way [and He busies Himself with his every step].
Psalm 37:23 AMPC
I [the Lord] will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with My eye upon you.
Psalm 32:8 AMPC