Monday, July 2, 2012

Asking For Directions

I'll admit it - I have a type A personality that gets me in trouble sometimes. I like to work hard, solve problems, and fix things. Unfortunately, I don't always realize that someone else could do it better.

Rewind to last year, in October. Me and my friends were touring the beautiful grounds of Princeton University, where we had gone to compete in a moot court tournament. And, if you know anything about Princeton University, you know that it's BIG. Well, pretty big. So, we tried finding the library at first without a map, however, that was conducive to naught but getting ourselves terribly lost, so, we finally caved. With map in hand, I proceeded to lead our little group all over the campus, with no real understanding of where we were going or why we should be there.

"Why don't we just ask someone for directions" my friend Aaron asked.
"No!"

30 minutes later, we were still wandering aimlessly around in circles, trying to find the coveted library.

"Seriously, I'll do the asking. I think we need to ask someone.... maybe a student...?"
"Absolutely not! We're totally fine! I know exactly where we are! Uh, we're, uh.... here! Yeah!" My friend Megan shot me a strange look.
Then I pointed to some random spot on the map just to look like I knew were we were.

After about an hour of walking, we finally got to where we wanted to go. Comically I look back on that and think, yeah, Aaron was right. We should've just asked someone.


Unfortunately, this propensity to "do-it-myself, I-can-fix-anything" doesn't stop with my refusal to ask for directions. In every aspect of my life, I want to be the person to FIX whatever it is that's the problem. I feel like I'm the only one who can truly solve it.

But that's not what Scripture tells us. Handing over the reins is really hard, but when we do -we won't be sorry.

What I've realized was that God was telling me to ask Him for direction. Instead of wandering aimlessly, trying to understand what to do or where to go, He was offering to handle it for me if I just stepped back.

Today I read a quote that really changed my perspective on this.

Oswald Chambers says, "When we deliberately choose to obey God, He will tax the remotest star and the last grain of sand to assist us with all His almighty power." That's so awesome!

It is so much more comforting, when I'm able to let my heavenly Father be my earthly Father. He will absolutely be your light and your guide, if you let him.

How cool is it that we have a God who's a father -- a God who wants to be our shield in every situation -- will funnel all his power into us, enabling us to do all things in His name?

Next time I'll ask for directions, I promise.


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1 comment:

Nicole said...

Lovely post, Lauren! It's so great to hear from you! :) And I know what you mean...so often I want to do it all myself, trusting in my own strength to guide me. But God reminds us that our so-called 'strength' is weakness compared to His strength, yes?

I'm so glad He strengthens and loves us the way only He does. :)

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