How Did I Get Here?

Totally ignorant of where we were driving, we followed the directions of the GPS voice for over an hour, only to arrive in a vacant shopping center. Even though the voice continued to say, “You have arrived at your destination”, we knew this couldn’t be the correct place. We turned around driving in the opposite direction to see if we missed a street veering off before the ending destination. After retracing our steps three times and finding no other option, we made a phone call confirming the address. We re-entered the address, but upon the storeowner’s advice, this time we added the zip code. (I assume many others had visited this desolate place.) To our surprise we had traveled about forty-five minutes in the wrong direction. I well remember wanting to throw the GPS out the window! We have since discovered many secrets to blindly following the mysterious GPS voice.

Have you ever felt that the voice of God has misguided you and led you on a rabbit trail only to end up in a desolate place?

Sometimes life feels like you have plugged in the wrong address or definitely misheard God. “This could never be where He was leading.” You prayed for wisdom and direction, while clinging to the Bible verses on guidance. Heading in what you believed to be His direction, you suddenly found yourself in a vacant shopping center or a dead end street. “How did I get here? This cannot be right. This is not the destination I was expecting.”

In the moment, we are tempted to throw out His voice and go our own way. Can we be so bold to say that at times His ways are shocking; sometimes even feeling cruel? The enemy tempts us to believe the lie that God cannot be trusted.

The real question we should be asking is:

Will I trust that He knows what is best even when it looks horrible, shocking, and devastating?

He surprises us and shows up in the oddest circumstances. He never leads us to a dead end street just to play a joke on us. Neither does He get confused and lead us to the wrong city. He is Sovereign God watching over the details of our lives leading us in His paths. He can always be trusted.

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.”

Jeremiah 29:11-13

In the midst of confusion and surprise destinations, stop and look around. Guard your heart and look for Him. Be still and wait on Him. You will find Him if you look for Him. His guidance always leads you into His plan, His best.

I recently heard the song, “Find You Here” by Ellie Holcomb. The song lets me know that Ellie has experienced vacant shopping centers and dead end streets but found God’s peace and joy in the midst of it.

“Lord give us your eyes to see you in the midst of all of life.”

“Find You Here”

Ellie Holcomb

It's not the news that any of us hoped that we would hear It's not the road we would have chosen, no The only thing that we can see is darkness up ahead But You're asking us to lay our worry down and sing a song instead [Chorus] And I didn't know I'd find You here In the middle of my deepest fear, but You are drawing near You are overwhelming me, with peace So I'll lift my voice and sing You're gonna carry us through everything You are drawing near You're overwhelming all my fears, with peace You say that I should come to You with everything I need You're asking me to thank you even when the pain is deep You promise that You'll come and meet us on the road ahead And no matter what the fear says, You give me a reason to be glad [Chorus] And I didn't know I'd find You here In the middle of my deepest fear, but You are drawing near You are overwhelming me, with peace So I'll lift my voice and sing You're gonna carry me through everything You are drawing near You're overwhelming all my fear [Bridge] Here in the middle of the lonely night Here in the middle of the losing fight, You're Here in the middle of the deep regret Here when the healing hasn't happened yet Here in the middle of the desert place Here in the middle when I cannot see Your face Here in the middle with Your outstretched arms You can see my pain and it breaks Your heart [Chorus] And I didn't know I'd find You here In the middle of my deepest fear, but You are drawing near You are overwhelming me with, peace So I'll lift my voice and sing You're gonna carry me through everything You are drawing near You're overwhelming all my fear with peace Rejoice, rejoice Don't have to worry 'bout a single thing, 'cause You are overwhelming me with, peace! Don't have to worry 'bout a single thing You're gonna carry us through everything Overwhelming peace...