God's GPS lessons

I'm in VA for a few days, mostly attending a conference in Fredericksburg called Awaken the Dawn. But this post isn't about that...rather, it's about the adventure I had last night trying to get from the conference location to a friend's house I'd never been to before. Ah, what fun...and what precious lessons I've gleaned through my midnight explorations of the back roads of VA!

My friend moved out here from CO to join a ministry called Wings of Hope. We talked a lot about her moving to Montpelier, VA. I told her that I used to live about 15 minutes from Montpelier and would drive by it every day on my way to work in Orange, VA.

So, last night, as I'm leaving Taco Bell after the conference, I hop on Rt. 3 heading toward Orange and then Montpelier. I plug in my friend's address to my ever-so-reliable GPS and immediately, the friendly woman't voice says, "Calculating route...make your first legal U-turn." I think, "What?" and look at the GPS and see that it wants me to go back to I-95 South. I'm thinking, "That's nuts! Montpelier is just outside of Orange, which is the direction I'm heading. My GPS must be off because of course I know where I am going!"

I go ahead and make the U-turn, but my past instincts tell me to keep going the way I was going; so I make another u-turn and head in my original direction, the way I "know" I need to go, because, of course, I know much better where Montpelier is than this silly GPS machine. All the while I'm thinking, "Technology...it's probably messing up because of the storm....whatever, I know where I'm going."

Needless to say, when I made the U-Turn back to MY way, my GPS declared, "Make the next legal U-turn!" I ignored the mechanical voice and drove on. Again, "Make the next legal U-turn!" Finally, after about 5 of these directions, the GPS beeps at me and the message reads: "Do you want your GPS to continue?" In other words:

Arden, do you want ME to continue leading, or are you going to continue on in your stubborn ways, thinking that you know where you are going because of course you know better than I, the God of the universe knows...so, what's your call?

Well, silly me, I decide my GPS isn't working properly, and I will just shut it off and turn it on when I got closer to Montpelier...which I did. Once again, I was confused by where it was telling me to turn...miles before Orange, VA. Finally, at 11:30 at night, I'm thinking, "hm, maybe there's something to this...I'm kinda close to the Montpelier I know, so maybe she lives in the vicinity. Well, the GPS sends me 18 miles down this road, then turn left and another 15 miles, then right and another 10 miles, then left and another 14 miles....etc.....you get the picture!

By this time, I am tired, frustrated, out in the middle of NO WHERE LAND VA, completely lost, not recognizing ANYTHING, it's pitch black with no moon, no gas stations, nothing...except, my faithful GPS spouting off every turn and leading me through the back roads of VA to my destination.

I finally pull over on the side of the road, call my friend and ask her what major city she is closest to. Richmond. WHAT? I think to myself. So, I restart my GPS and sure enough, after another 10 miles, I am pulling in to my friend's driveway, a place I'd never been before and a town, called Montpelier, which is near Ashland, VA, right off of...yep, you guessed it....I-95, and just 45 minutes from where I was attending this conference! Two and a half hours after leaving the conference, I finally find my way "home" to my friend's house.

Oh, the reality of God's lessons, in severely tangible ways.

Just a week ago, the Lord spoke to me about some things and asked, "So, are you going to continue trying to do things your way and the ways you have always done them? Or are you going to trust Me and let Me lead you and open the doors that need to be opened for Me to get you where I want you to be?"

One week later, I am shutting off my GPS....my God Positioning System....and learning in the natural the lesson He was speaking to me last week.

Oh, He will speak! "Make the next legal U-turn! You are heading in the WRONG direction! Make the next legal U-turn! You think you are going the right way, but you aren't! Will you trust My voice or your own 'instincts'? Make the next legal U-turn! Ok, do you even WANT me to continue as your GPS? Cuz I simply cannot do it if you keep going this direction. I will let you go, and I will fall silent because you are going THE WRONG WAY!"

Of course, when I turn my GPS on again, when I cry out to God again, He is right there, not yelling at me or even disappointed; just like my literal GPS, the Lord picks right up, gives me clear directions, every turn, every 1/10 of a mile measured, street names...even those funky ones in the backwoods of VA....and then the best declaration of all: "Your destination is on your left! You have arrived at your destination!" No rebuke. Gentle, kind, accurate, loving, strong guidance.

His leadership is perfect. What an amazing reminder of my own stubborn self and how patient He is with me...persistent..."make the next legal U-turn!"....yet, He will never over-ride my will. Quite honestly, I wish He would sometimes over-ride my will.

What could have been a 45 min. trip turned into 2.5 hours! If we would simply submit to our loving, perfect Heavenly Father, our journeys would be so much more direct, less exhausting, frustrating, and costly. Thank you for the lesson, Lord!