Daily Tonic || A Sense of Direction

Text- Deuteronomy 2:3- “You have compassed this mountain long enough: turn you northward”

Today’s text, Deuteronomy 2:3, is one of the very popular verses of the Bible. Preachers and motivational speakers often use it to encourage people to leave their comfort zone, to do things differently, to strive to be better etc. We hear them echo time again “You have compassed this mountain long enough!”

However, there is another phrase in that verse that is less emphasized – “Turn you northward”. If you’re looking for messages that will gear you up to go faster, get stronger, and do better, you won’t have to search too far before you find more than you possibly can exhaust. In contrast, not much has been said on having a sense of direction. What exactly am I doing with my life? Why did I choose this career path?

What next after this phase of my life? What am I doing in this relationship? ... These questions, and many similar ones, are the heart cry of someone searching for a sense of direction in life.

Dearly beloved, striving to acquire and achieve more with our lives without first answering the question of direction; without having a clear sense of direction, makes for a life that is filled with dissatisfaction, frustration and lack of fulfilment.

No doubts, if you strive well enough, you will acquire and achieve a lot, maybe even to the point of living larger than life, but none of it will seem to make sense at the end of the day.

See, it is good that you are encouraged to take steps towards a bigger, brighter and better tomorrow, but it is more important that you have a sense of direction, and are taking steps in the right direction.

There are too many people living life with no sense of direction whatsoever. Some on the other hand, have a ‘direction’ they are plying, but constantly feel like they are chasing a version of themselves that they were never meant to be. Life does not have to be that stressful and frustrating.

Vision without direction is a perfect recipe for frustration. You will understand how bad this frustration can get if you’ve ever gotten confused about the road, and missed your way while heading for an important meeting (for example, a job interview).

It is then that you’ll realize that when you are on a journey, the man that knows the direction is more important than the man that knows how to drive!

It doesn’t matter how well you drive, or how much you speed… Both the skill and the effort will end in futility and frustration if you have no sense of direction, or if you are moving in the wrong direction.

It is good to go far; it is good to go fast; but it is far more expedient to know where exactly you are going. It doesn’t matter how early you earned your PhD or how brilliant you are, all will come to waste of you do not channel your life in the right direction, or if you have no sense of direction at all.

If your life will be meaningful and satisfying, don’t focus on trying to climb a tall ladder, or trying to climb faster, only to realize that the ladder is leaning against the wrong wall.

Instead, first settle the question of direction – follow the leading of the Holy Spirit, set clear-cut goals, work diligently to achieve those goals, don’t be carried away by popular opinion, don’t engage in unhealthy comparison and competition, don’t be afraid to take risks, and rely on God for lasting joy and true satisfaction.

PRAYER

Lord, please give me a sense of direction in life; show me my path in life, and lead me in the way I should go. I come humbly to you today Lord, let me find lasting joy and true satisfaction in you as I hearken to your voice in Jesus Name.

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