Daily writing prompt

What gives you direction in life?

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Proverbs 16:9 (KJV)

“A man’s heart deviseth his way: but the LORD directeth his steps.”

Sometimes it’s too easy to lose sight of where you plan on going, but not everything has to be that complex in life. Many guru’s have talked about having a five year, ten year, or you name it year plan for your life; however, that’s not the answer for anything, but disappointment. I have been taught that it’s wise to plan what type of principles you want for yourself/family to stand for before you get too far in life. That can be something that helps you work towards what you stand for, but really before you do the larger choices base those on good immediate choices. Life can be the simple next good and right step in front of you.

James 4:17, “Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.”

Daily choices build habits, habits build character, and character builds futures. Sometimes we think of the ditant and profound destination, because that is how we think as humans. By focusing on a goal we expect to get closer to that goal and hopefully come close, but by answering what next thing we need to do to get closer we do make it closer to the goal. The problem with jumping for the moon is that all it can do is get you really good at jumping. Answering what next to do that is the right step gets you from a spring board, to a parachute, to eventually a flying apparatus. Honestly, the saying “jump for the moon and you’ll end up somewhere in the stars” isn’t true just like the buddhist philosophy of “the ends justify the means.” If you start out with the philosophy that the means determine the ends your life will turn out better, and you won’t have as many regrets in life.

I know that’s ironic coming from a guy who has one big regret in his life; however, I think of all the massive mountain of regrets that I could have had in my life. In spite of everything that life has handed me and all the suffering I have dealt with the harsh truth is that I chose them to my own hurt. I wish I could say that my suffering was ever unjust, but the truth is that I’ve caused my own heartaches in life. I can either be sad for the results of that bad decision, or I can be grateful for all of the additional pain that I have been spared thus far. When it comes to direction in life I trust the word of God and the gifts that he has given. It’s a hard truth to accept for some people when they feel like they ended up with a bad pastor, but

Jeremiah 3:15, “And I will give you pastors according to mine heart, which shall feed you with knowledge and understanding.”

The pastor’s that you have are responsible for helping you to direct your life, and feed you that knowledge and understanding. They’re responsible for what they do with the flock that God entrusted to their care, but our responsibility to support and help them is equally important. Trust isn’t really something that feels natural, because we always want to know since Adam took the fruit of the knowledge of good and evil. That dependence on foreknowledge hinders our ability to really know the intent of our lives. Frankly, I relied on that too much and it ended up hurting me from trying to get knowledge from God despite knowing what he really wanted me to do. Don’t overcomplicate the direction that your life should go. It follows very simply: Love God and keep his commandments for this is the whole duty of man. Knowing to read your bible, pray, tell others about the savior, be in church even more as your days grow shorter, and serve him before all other duties.