Listening to God’s Planned Strategy (GPS)
By Dawn Aldrich
Monday, October 30, 2017
“My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.” John 10:27 NIV
My GPS is my BFF. Her soothing voice relieves the angst of struggling to follow hand-written directions while navigating through traffic in strange towns or squinting to read street signs in the dark.
Now I can relax to my favorite music streaming through my iPhone while she does all the navigating. All I need to do is follow her instructions.
If I miss a turn, she politely states, “recalculating route”, and points me in the right direction. However, I have learned how to mute her and sometimes travel down my own path.
A few years ago, I was offered a new job that promised more money and better benefits; everything I thought would provide for my college-bound family.
Despite godly counsel to walk away, I muted God’s voice and accepted the job. “It’ll be different for me”, I reasoned. “God knows we need the money. What harm could this do if it’s meeting our financial needs?”
It wasn’t long before my little detour proved to be a dangerous road for every aspect of my life.
At work, a co-worker openly admitted to being strongly influenced by voodoo and how she had an inexplicable hatred toward me. My supervisors used me for their own hidden agendas in vying for the same position.
My husband took a $20K salary cut to become self-employed. My son was battling depression and he returned home from college.
My daughter was mourning the loss of a friend to suicide.
My widowed, childless aunt was battling renal failure.
When the clamor of these events subsided, I suffered a concussion. I continued to work for two months, with a pain level of 8-10. I soon found myself at a crossroad.
I could continue to work through the pain, hindering the healing process or I could surrender it all, go home, and heal. This time I followed the GPS (God’s Planned Strategy) towards healing.
In the seven months it took to heal, it was difficult to accept God’s repeated instructions to “do nothing” but He used that time to teach me the sound of His voice and how to follow His direction.
“This day I call heaven and earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live and that you may love the LORD your God, listen to his voice, and hold fast to him.” Deuteronomy 30:19-20a NIV
Dear Lord, Help me to be ever attentive to Your voice, ready to follow Your instructions that lead to blessings and eternal life. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
© 2017 by Dawn Aldrich. All rights reserved.
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