The Principle of the Path

Sorry for not posting this weekend, Amy and I took a Mini-honeymoon and did not want to pay the money to get interenet at the hotel! :-) 

Anyway, here we go with today's post!

Recently I read a book that discussed an amazingly simply concept...but one that many folks seem to struggle with. 

In the book The Principle of the Path: How To Get From Where You Are To Where You Want to Be, Andy Stanley offers us this little nugget of wisdom:
"Direction-not intention-determines destination" (Stanely page 14).
Here it is reworded a bit differently...

"The Direction you are currently traveling--relationally, financially, spiritually, and the list goes on and on--will determine where you end up in each of those respective arenas." (Stanley page 15).

He also states it this way, "direction--not intentions, hopes, dreams, prayers, beliefs, intellect, or education--determines destination". (Stanley page 15)

It seems so simple...and yet many of us do not get it.

We understand that if we point our car north...its not going to go east unless we turn the steering wheel.
However, we have trouble applying this simple principle to our lives.

If you neglect your body by eating too much and avoiding the gym...don't be surprised when you do not lose weight.

If you neglect your spouse and spend no time with them...do not be shocked when that relationship falls apart.

If you spend money freely and never save anything...do not be surprised you always have to live paycheck to paycheck.

If you never crack open a book or do your homework...do not be surprised when you get a bad grade in the class.

If you do not study for the test at all...do not be surprised when you don't get the grade you want.

If you text and drive...do not be shocked when one day you have an accident.

It all seems so simple. 
It seems like common sense.
We are even really good at pointing out this principle in other peoples lives.

We hear a story about someone who is having problems, and we can usually quickly tell them what aspect of their life pointed them in this direction. 
If I talk to a parent about their child starting to do drugs and drink...I am not shocked when I hear their grades are slipping and their attitude has changed.

The direction they pointed their life...determines their destination.

However, for some reason, we often fail to figure out what direction our own lives are pointed.
And then we are shocked by the consequences of the decision to point our life in that direction. 

So you ask, "what does this have to do with Lent..after all this is a blog/devotional for the Lenton season?"

Well...this same principle shows up in our own spiritual life.
If you never pick up your Bible to read, well, you will not learn more about scripture.
If you DO pick up your Bible to read, you WILL learn more about scripture.

If you never pray...do not be surprised when it feels like "God is silent" in your life. do not be surprised when you do not feel closer to God.
If you sleep in on Sundays...do not be surprised when you do not feel closer to God.

If you decide that sports, friends, work, etc. are more important that small group at church...do not be surprised when you continually feel distant from God. 

So my question to you for the day is simple...what direction is your "spiritual life car" pointed?
Is it pointed more toward yourself, making work, school, sports, friends, money, etc?
Or is it pointed toward making God the center of your life?

I speak with youth and parents all the time who are frustrated with where their relationship with God is at the moment.
They have great intentions to get closer to God.  Their have a strong desire to be closer and make God a priority.  When you talk to them, it sounds like their greatest hope and dream in life is to feel "as close to God as they used to"...

And yet, when we talk, it becomes clear that everything else takes priority over their relationship with God. 

On mission trips, I do not allow youth to take their cell phones, ipods, psp's, etc.  So for a week, they are cut off from the internet, facebook, and texting. 
I do this because I try to remove the distractions that often keep us from making God a priority.

Usually at the end of the week, most of the youth have had a powerful experience with God. 

I usually get asked "how I can keep this feeling back home."  When I point out that they had all of these "distractions" removed, making it easier to focus their energy on God...I usually get a very sad/disturbed look on their face.

They want that feeling of the "mountain top experience", but do not want to redirect their "spiritual car". 
Redirecting their life will take effort, will take some self sacrifice and may even sacrifice some friendships.

Are you willing to do what it takes to "redirect your spiritual car"? 

If you are not, do not be surprised when in a year or two, you feel even more distant from God than you may feel right now.

After all, Direction-not INTENTION-determines your spiritual destination.