Learning to Travel Well

I have a confession to make. I am terrible at directions. When my husband and I traveled before GPS,  he would always drive while I would nervously be in charge of the maps and printed directions. There have been times with a map in my hand we still managed to take wrong turns and go entirely off-road. After many laughs and a few heated arguments, we always ended up at our destinations. But only after we spent way more driving time than needed to reach our desired location. 

I would love to say I have only been navigational challenged traveling the physical roads of life, but honestly, I have been that way along spiritual roads as well. 

 There have been times I failed to follow the road map of God’s word.  I have certainly taken my share of wrong turns. I have even deliberately traveled down paths that were marked, ending up at the side of the road feeling lost, abandoned, and confused. 

God always knew what kind of traveling partner I would be and chose to travel with me anyway.  He knew I would need a travel guide that would navigate the roads I would need to take and handle necessary repairs along the way.  He also knew I would need constant encouragement when facing bumpy pathways and had to drive in all kinds of weather.  

There have been times when the road has been dangerous full of twists and turns tempting me to turn around. Often, I have pulled off to the side of the road and just sat there.  All because I got tired and decided I did not want to travel anymore. But still, He never abandoned me.  Ever.

This journey called life is teaching me some much-needed lessons. I admit most of what I have learned has been what I have learned along the rockier roads of my life.  No matter how rough the journey, God always knows the way. After all, “He is the way, the truth, and the life.” No path we take will ever be a surprise to Him.  Even the times we think we know a better road leaving Him behind.  Despite our many wanderings, He always knows where we are and will never leave us stranded. We but need to call His name, to discover He was already there. We will always find Him to be a patient traveling partner who always knows how to comfort us and encourage us to keep going. 

 I still find myself reluctant to travel down unexpected pathways. Life is full of unplanned valleys and mountain roads that seem luminous and scary. With life constantly changing from day to day, it makes it impossible to plan out. It means I have to trust in His written directions. God is also teaching me to give Him the wheel and leave the steering to Him.  He is making me a much more relaxed traveler and helping me learn to enjoy the view. 

So if you are struggling to understand which way to go today, let me give you some friendly traveling advice. 

1.)  Any question you have about the journey you are facing today, take them to The Travel Guide named Jesus. He has already traveled this road before you and knows the way.  Unlike me, when He is in charge of the map, He will never get you lost.  When you need to know which path to take, you will always find the answer through time spent in prayer and His holy word. 

2.) If you are feeling a little discouraged along the journey, let me encourage you to keep going.  The road you are on is worth the trip, and the views are better up ahead.  Stay connected to other Bible-believing travelers. They not only make good travel partners when the way gets rough but will be there to share the good times as well.  Accountability has many advantages. 

3.) If you are sitting in need of repair to get going again, our Travel Guide is also a Master Mechanic. Any repairs you need, He will have you repaired and restored and going again in no time.  Repentance is underrated, and despite this world’s opinion, it is a must in the journey. It is always a good thing to visit the altar often and keep your load light. Sometimes we have to make part of the journey on foot, and it is hard to travel up the mountain or wind down through the valleys when your load is too heavy to carry. 

4.) There are going to be hard days.  We all will encounter unpleasant and uncomfortable things in life, but learn to enjoy the trip. God has many blessings planned, and you will miss them if you go through life with your heart heavy laden and your head down. 

So, I hope you have found this to be an encouragement and helped you refuel for the next leg of your journey. 

I hope to see you in the field soon and on the road. Happy Traveling, my friend. 

Susan