Power Steering

Have you ever heard an odd, random sort of phrase, and something causes you to take notice although you can’t explain why?  More than this, when you hear the same random statement repeated somewhere, you can’t help but say — “Okay, I’m listening, God…What are you trying to tell me?”

Such is the case that happened to me recently when I heard “You steer where you look.”  I can’t even tell you where I first heard it, but within the succession of just a few weeks it came again —twice.

As someone who does not believe in coincidences, I began to think about this statement a lot.  The more I thought about it, the more sense it began to make, and the more I could understand that it was as much a spiritual implication as it was practical.

Of course, we know how easily we can get ourselves distracted.  In the literal sense, driving for example, if our eyes are not on the road but off to the the side or —worse — on our phone, all kinds of havoc and potential harm ensues.  But what about the kind of distractions that take our eyes off of God?

This comes wrapped up in different ways.  Perhaps we are prone to compare our lives to others.  Maybe we dwell too long in the uncertainty of our problems, rather than laying the outcome at His feet.  Maybe we get tripped up in what we think will make us happy, longing for an ideal that doesn’t exist. Or maybe fear sometimes paralyzes us so much that we find we are stuck in Park. I will be the first to tell you that I am - in all areas - guilty as charged.

Where we look, we steer.  And sometimes, this leads to a crash.

Like anyone, I hate to admit when I am wrong.  I don’t mean the “I’m sorry I made a mistake” kind of wrong.  I’m talking about the kind where I’ve steered myself into a place, thinking I am going one way, only to find that I am lost.  When we are driven by emotions, we justify our behaviors, perhaps hungering to fill a void.  Or maybe we overreact, lash out, blame…. How often, however, do consequences evolve that end up hurting us and others more in the end?  My point is, if God isn’t in it — whatever it is — it won’t go well.  

All I am trying to say here, is that if where we are steering is taking us away from Him, rather than closer, we need to stop and check ourselves.  So easily we look to others, to the world to accept us, to fill us with validation, to tell us we are worthy, loved, and needed.  Doing this will never get us where we’re meant to go.  

God wants our eyes on Him so that He can put upon our path people and outcomes that He has for us.  When He is at the controls, our GPS, we may still be rerouted once in a while, but our destination is certain. 

Sometimes, I fear that people will take what I share as a means to say “Just wait on God” and not do anything for yourself.  That is not what I intend at all.  I believe that God wants us to walk out our faith in action — in doing what He places in our hands to do.  We can’t simply stand still waiting.  But we can use wisdom, listening for His directions.  If I am on the right path, I can sense it in my spirit.

When I listen deeply for God, He will give me a strategy. His hand, His blessing, is on it.  I can sense it on a level that resonates in my spirit.  It may not always give me the instant satisfaction or answer that I want, but when I know that it is Him and not me, it doesn’t matter.  God is good at letting me see that down the road, He makes things turn out better than I could hope, and better than I could possibly have imagined on my own.

It’s not easy to wait at what feels like a perpetual red light.  It’s hard to not get distracted.  But it’s necessary to keep our eyes and our hearts focused straight ahead so that we do not drift — from each other, from our purpose, from our faith.

Do you find yourself drifting sometimes?  Do you find that you are going around and around in circles to the point that you have given up believing the there will ever be a change in your present circumstance?

I know I have.  

Is there something that is keeping you stuck?  Are you trying to drive while looking in the rear view mirror?  Have you made wrong turns and just given up?

Just like that random statement or phrase that keeps coming to you, pay attention. God may be reminding you that you need to trust where He wants to take you and get you back on track.

Look to Him and He will show you the right road to take.

Where you look, you steer.  His way is always the best way forward.