God is like a GPS...kinda...

Hello to all four people who might read this :)

I'm sitting here waiting for my group to show up so we can begin working on our research project (yes, at 11:42 at night). Our project is to propose a study of post traumatic stress disorder in inner-city prostitutes. Heavy stuff, but of course I love it. Unfortunately, my group doesn't seem to be taking it as seriously and, though we have a month, we have a very very long way to go. It makes me a little nervous! But I'm sure we'll get it done.

You know what I was wondering? What if God told us everything we wanted to know about our futures? Would I actually want to know it all? In our prayer group class we talked about trusting God. Our teacher compared our journey through life to driving somewhere. These days it seems everyone has a GPS. And where would most of us be without one? I know I'd be going in circles. It's amazing how much we rely on those things. What's interesting, though is that we pretty much turn our minds off when we use one. It tells us to turn left, we turn left. It tells us to turn around, we mutter something about how did we miss that turn and then make a u-turn. And when it's silent we continue straight ahead.

What if that's how we treated God? Maybe not quite so mindlessly, but what if we just did whatever God told us to without question? He tells us to turn, we turn. He tells us to go back, we go back. He's silent and we keep going the way we've been going. No questions asked, just pure faith that He'll take us where we need to go.

But there's a significant difference between God and a GPS. (Well...there's a lot really, but for the purposes of the analogy we'll stick to this one). The GPS shows us quite a few steps at a time. We can look at the entire route before we even get in the car if we want. But God usually tells us one turn at a time. If he tells us two steps, it's like some miracle! But if He did tell us every step, every turn to make, would we take Him as seriously? I know I personally would be thrilled to know everything I needed to do and I would go and get it done, all with good intention of wanting to fulfill what God has purposed me to do. But I would probably become mindless to Him. I'd do what He wants only because He said to and I already know where I'll end up. I wouldn't need to rely on Him. I wouldn't need that blind, childlike faith that I try so hard to have now. Maybe knowing completely my purpose in life would make my life seem void of any purpose.

I think that's something I should keep in mind next time I ask God what His will is for my life. Maybe instead I should be asking, "God, what's the next step?" keeping in mind that He might just say to "keep straight ahead." (If only it was in that Australian accent I love so much on my Dad's GPS...)