Global positioning
Many of us live such hectic and stressful lives that we fail to take time and notice God’s presence.
It can be an arduous task to simply slow down, because we are immersed with balancing work schedules, children, and confronting other deadlines. Why have we allowed ourselves to get off track and lose sight of God?
Is it preposterous to think that we might have poor time management skills? Having a frenzied state of mind from being rushed throughout the day causes us to get misdirected from God’s intended course.
Perhaps our misdirection could be attributed to physical and mental exhaustion from a hard day’s work. But even if God prolonged each day, many of us would still fail to spend adequate time with God daily, due to a lack of discipline.
God’s guidance
The key to unlocking success in our spiritual lives is through careful planning, goal setting and prioritisation. If we take the time to critically analyse how each hour in the day is spent, our eyes are quickly opened to inadequacies in our spiritual lives.
Why are cell phones, GPS navigation systems, and road side assistance accessibility important when travelling? Undoubtedly, we exercise vigilance with these, as we try to minimise our risks. And so it should be with our spiritual lives.
‘I guide you in the way of wisdom and lead you along straight paths. When you walk, your steps will not be hampered; when you run, you will not stumble’ (Proverbs 4:11-12).
When we take the time to actively seek God, we are empowered with both direction and purpose for our lives. ‘But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the benefit you reap leads to holiness, and the result is eternal life’ (Romans 6:22).
God is a talented cartographer who meticulously maps out each of our lives. He is cognisant of our shortcomings and can easily redirect us when we stray from his righteous path.
If we properly receive tune-ups and maintenance checks on our spiritual lives, we are better equipped to withstand any turbulence, by having God as our stronghold. He persistently beckons us to follow his lead and pursue a deeper relationship with him.
Seeking God
Many of us hear God’s calls, but don’t attentively listen to his plans for our lives. ‘The Lord is good to those whose hope is in him, to the one who seeks him’ (Lamentations 3:25).
The secret panacea for a closer relationship with God is simply committing the time to actively seek him. ‘You shall have no other gods before me’ (Exodus 20:3). This verse clearly commands us to place God at the top of our priority list.
He encourages us to balance our day so that we make time to honour and worship him. If we consistently adhere to this commandment, God prevents our misdirection. The result is that he is properly glorified.
Kasey M. Carter
Author of Forever Altered, Yet Unbroken and Faithful Crushers Series
