Gone are the days of paper maps, but I sure do remember my dad stopping the car, pulling out his map, and working to figure out where we were and how far we had to go. Maps were especially helpful when one found himself in the middle of a small town that was unfamiliar.
Now we have GPS navigation in our cars or on our phones, so we don’t pull out the paper maps any longer. Sure, the GPS is convenient because we can keep our eyes on the road and listen to the cues for each turn. However, one thing I believe we’ve lost is the ability to see the larger picture of where we are and where we’re going.
With the paper map, we saw the entire state, or even the entire United States, all with one lingering look. Now, we don’t necessarily know what’s ahead. We know only what the GPS tells us is next. With Holy Spirit as our navigation guide: our GPS, our pilot, our tour guide–whatever you want to call Him in this capacity, we can see both the big picture and each small turn or shift.
Seeing the big picture gives us comfort as we discover where our lives fit. While knowing only the next step keeps us humble and dependent upon God as we journey.
Is there a Bible passage that confirms Holy Spirit as one who guides us like a map or a GPS through life? I can think of at least one off the top of my head and it’s a familiar couple of verses, Proverbs 3:5-6. The Passion Translations (TPT) states:
Trust in the Lord completely, and do not rely on your own opinions. With all your heart rely on him to guide you, and he will lead you in every decision you make. Become intimate with him in whatever you do, and he will lead you wherever you go.
The Holy Spirit GPS is different from our phone GPS in that we don’t simply input where we want to go, and the GPS spits out a route. With Holy Spirit GPS, we must trust Him to know where we should go, allowing Him to guide us in every decision. Again, that means we will not always know either the destination or the path. But we know the Path-maker.
For one who loves to be in control, the GPS method might be both scary and maddening. But for someone who loves mysteries, as I do, we believe adventure lies ahead and we’re excited to get started. May I alert the control people to a truth? Whether you go kicking and screaming, or whether you humbly submit, God is taking you to a certain place. Either way, you are going where you are going, so please learn to trust. It will be easier on you in the end!
So, where are we going? We are going to a place where we look more and more like Jesus. Our character is being formed, our gifts are being discovered and honed, we are learning to love, trust and forgive. We are finding true joy, hope, and peace. And this is only the tip of the iceberg of what we’ll experience on our journey.
If you’re still not sure whether you should rest in the journey, allow me to share a quote from a woman who suffered terrible atrocities at a prison camp during the Jewish Holocaust:
When a train goes through a tunnel and it gets dark, you don’t throw away the ticket and jump off. You sit still and trust the engineer.
Corrie Ten Boom
If a woman who survived a tortuous prison camp can confidently say this about God, our spiritual Engineer, then I believe you and I can learn to trust Him as well. I want to leave you with one final verse from Psalm 56:3 (TPT):
But in the day that I’m afraid, I lay all my fears before you and trust in you with all my heart.
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