Following Directions

Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding.  Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take.  ~Proverbs 3:5-6 (NLT)

Using my camera as a spiritual tool is something I was recently taught in an online class.  I learned to allow the Holy Spirit to lead me to people and images to photograph, and then to use these images for prayer and  meditation.  One of the objects I was led to photograph, was a compass rose that hangs on the wall of an office where I work.

As I meditated on the image of the compass rose, several thoughts began to stir around in my mind.  Focusing on the four directional arrows made me think about the many different choices I face every day— in my personal life, in my work, and in my ministry.  The decisions start over every morning when my alarm goes off, and continue until I fall asleep at night.  Some choices are simple and seem to require little thought, while others are difficult and need careful consideration.  Whether big or small, difficult or easy, important or trivial, I want my decisions to be wise.  Which arrow should I follow?  Will my path be clear?  How do I know when it’s time to go in a different direction?

The solid circle in the middle reminds me that I need to be centered in Christ and grounded in my faith.  If I spend time reading Scripture; if I seek counsel from strong spiritual leaders; if I allow the Holy Spirit to enter my times of meditation, I will be better equipped to figure out which path God wants me to follow.  Yes, centering myself in Christ will help me choose which arrow to follow and help me know the right time to make that choice.

The other circles could represent my family, my friends, and my faith community.  These are the people that surround me with love and support.  The circles they form give me boundaries, and guidelines, and accountability.  They are safe places—places where I am encouraged to make the right choices, and forgiven when I don’t.  Without the people in these circles, I would find it difficult to keep my center where it needs to be.  And without that centering, I could easily wander astray.

I also noticed the little hole near the N for hanging the compass on the wall.  It immediately pulled my eye to the top—to north.  It reminded me to always look to God, the one true north, when choosing my direction.  He has given me His Word as a map and the Holy Spirit as a guide.  Remember this:

Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding.  Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take.  ~Proverbs 3:5-6 (NLT)

 I do not have to rely on my own sense of direction.  God will give the directions.  I just need to be willing to follow.