I was driving back from Washington, D.C. early Sunday morning, cruising along the interstate. Traffic was light and the road was clear. Grandkids were in the back of RV all asleep. Getting up early looked like a good decision.
Then Google Maps popped up with a suggestion:
“Get off at the next exit to save 30 minutes.”
My first thought? Why in the world would I get off a perfectly good interstate so I ignored it. About a mile and a half later, I found out exactly why.
Traffic came to a stop and Google maps said I'd been there for an hour. That’s when it hit me.
The View I Didn't Have
From my seat behind the wheel, everything looked fine. Clear road. No warning signs, but Google Maps wasn’t looking at what I could see, it was looking at the bigger picture.
- Traffic jam just ahead
- An accident I did not know about
- An hour sitting in stalled traffic
It knew what was coming… even though I didn’t. And it gave me a way out, before I ever hit the problem. I just didn’t trust it.
That’s Exactly How God Works
God does the same thing in our lives. Through His Word, through conviction, through wise counsel, He nudges:
- “Don’t go that direction.”
- “Step away from that.”
- “Take a different path.”
Proverbs 3: 5-6 says: Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.
And just like me on the interstate, our response is often:
“Why? Everything looks fine.”
That’s the problem. We’re making decisions based on what we can see right now. God is working from a view that includes what’s coming next.
He Doesn’t Always Explain
Here’s the part people don’t like: God doesn’t always tell you why.
He doesn’t lay out the traffic report of your future.
He just gives direction.
And you’ve got a choice:
- Trust Him and take the “exit”…
- Or stay on your current path and deal with what’s ahead
I stayed on the interstate.
And I paid for it; an hour of sitting still, wishing I had listened.
Obedience Before Understanding
There’s an old principle that still holds:
Obedience comes before understanding.
If God explained everything, it wouldn’t require faith, but real guidance means trusting that He sees what you don’t. Just like GPS.
A Better Way to Live
Think about how different that drive would’ve been if I had simply trusted the instruction:
- No frustration
- No wasted time
- No sitting in traffic
Just a smoother path forward, minus the extra traffic from those people who trusted their GPS.
That’s what God offers. Not a life without detours, but a life where you avoid a lot of unnecessary ones.
Final Thought
Next time you feel that nudge, something telling you to turn, stop, or go a different direction, don’t ignore it just because everything looks fine. You might be one mile away from a mess you can’t yet see.
God is your GPS for life.
The question is simple:
Are you going to trust Him…or sit in traffic wishing you had?
The question is so relevant in today's environment. Cash is tight, stress is high and the Middle East? Well we need to PRAY HARD! We don't know the future, but we do know the one who holds the future and he promised "I will never leave you or forsake you" Hebrews 13:5
Let me know your comments below.
