Vision, Direction and Guidance

Proverbs 3:5-6 “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths.”

We can all use  the direction and guidance that this Proverbs passage promises, but what is the condition of this promise? It is to trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding. That does not mean that God is asking us to park our brains at the curb and stop using our heads. I’ve read that what is being condemned here is unhealthy self-confidence, which the secular humanistic world is constantly commending ... depending on ourselves in a sensual world that we can see rather than depending on the Divine providence of God that we cannot ... except for the fingerprints.

Proverbs 16:9 “In their hearts humans plan their course, but the Lord establishes their steps.”

How do we acknowledge God? By seeing God in every aspect of our lives, by having a vision of Him and His providential workings in and thorough us, we acknowledge Him.  I remember going through Driver Training class in High School and again while I worked in the telecommunications industry, that we were taught the Smith System of defensive driving. There were five principles of safe driving that were taught which were intended to keep our focused, keep us from distractions and to be aware of our surrounding while operating a vehicle. They were (1) Aim High in steering allowing the driver to stay alert of the dangers and traffic ahead while focusing their attention high, so as to view the road as whole and not just a few feet ahead. (2) Get the “Big Picture” means “Be aware of your surroundings at all times” to avoid major accidents by noticing how other drivers behave on the road. Having a keen awareness of these dangers will reduce these risks. (3) Keep your eyes moving means remain alert. Consistent eye movement prevents your body from entering the trance state, keeping you alert to every driving condition ahead of you. (4) Leave yourself an out means ensure that other drivers do not box and pen you in. Do not follow other vehicles too closely, and always anticipate what choices other drivers make. And (5) Make sure they see you prevents accidents by removing assumptions made behind the wheel. As a driver, make sure that other drivers can see you and anticipate your move. 

Psalm 119:133 “Establish my footsteps in Your word, and do not let any iniquity have dominion over me.”

With knowledge and wisdom, you must first "be aware" before you can "beware". Likewise, I understand that for a safe trip through this pilgrimage on earth, God directs us along life’s long and winding road and pilots us over life’s tempestuous sea in two main defensive driving ways. First, by His holy Word and the instructions He has given us there. Secondly, by circumstances in our lives; sometimes opening doors and sometimes closing them; sometimes by making our path smooth and sometimes by causing us to fall flat on our faces; sometimes moving obstacles and sometimes by throwing them up before us.

John 14:15-17 “If you love me, you will keep my commandments. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate, to be with you forever. This is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, because he abides with you, and he will be in you.”

It is also important to recognize the role of the indwelling Holy Spirit in God’s guidance in our life. Why is this guidance essential? Galatians 5:16-18 “Live by the Spirit, I say, and do not gratify the desires of the flesh. For what the flesh desires is opposed to the Spirit, and what the Spirit desires is opposed to the flesh; for these are opposed to each other, to prevent you from doing what you want. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not subject to the law.” How many times have we heard that still small voice of the all-seeing and all-knowing Holy Spirit which seemed to pull us back. Then, in retrospect, we saw that God spared us from grief or even disaster. We all have 20-20 hind-sight, and often it is in retrospect that we can see the guidance of God. But we have this promise that He will provide direction for our vision and walk, if we look to see His work and guidance in every aspect of our lives. Even in the little things, in everything God’s providence is there.

In Christ, Brian