3. Where's The Map?

When we start our journey with God, at that incredible moment when our heart becomes His and our lives are no longer our own, we’re not given a map with a destination marked on it and clear directions of how to get there. In fact we’re not given a map at all!

Ours is a journey of trust.

It’s a step by step, day by day adventure of learning to trust Father God.

It reminds me of Abraham, who “..obeyed when he was called to go out to the place where he would receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going.” (Hebrews 11:8 NIV) I mean, can you fathom that? Seriously?! I can imagine the conversation that might have taken place between God and Abraham.

Abraham was told to leave his country, his people and his father’s household to go to the land that God would show him. It must have been a huge decision to uproot his family and leave everything he had ever known, but when he finally told God, “Okay, I’ll do it” and asked the logical question, “Where are we going?” I can imagine the confusion on his face when the response was, “I’ll tell you later”.

“Um, okay, but it would be good to have some idea where we’re heading so I know what to pack.”

“Pack up everything you own, bring it all with you.”

“Alright, but can you give me an idea of which way we’re going?”

“No, I’ll show you when it’s time.”

The big day arrives and it’s time to leave, so Abraham asks again, “Okay God, can you tell me now where we’re going?”

“No”.

“So where am I heading?”

“Just start walking, I’ll tell you which way to go.”

Logically speaking, to start a momentous journey into the unknown with a vast group of people, all of whom are totally dependent on you, without a map or even an idea of where you’re going, is ludicrous. It’s an absolute recipe for disaster. And yet, that’s what it’s like for us, when we start out on our journey with Him.

          No map and no idea what it’s going to look like.

          So what do we do?

We take the first step. Then we take another one, and then another one. Then we take one more, and one more… and so on. That’s how we learn to trust Him. That’s how we get to see our Father’s faithfulness and experience His goodness. When we make the decision to let go of control and start the journey of trust.

God is so good, and He will always make a way for us. So, although we’re not given a map, we are given a Guide – the best Guide ever, our precious Holy Spirit! Our Guide never leaves our side. He’s with us through thick and thin, in great weather and in torrential rainstorms. He knows what’s coming up and what to avoid, He knows the pitfalls and where the oases are. In short, He knows how to lead us to where we need to be.

          Learning to listen to Holy Spirit and walk with Him on a minute by minute, hour by hour basis, is a crucial aspect of journeying in the wilderness. The longer I live the more I realise how little I know, and how much He knows! I’m learning how to trust Him, how to listen to Him and how to obey.

          At the beginning of January 2020, Father directed me to Psalm 119:105, which says, “Your Word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path” and He told me that, during that year, He was going to be a ‘lamp to my feet’, not a ‘light to my path’. It puzzled me because I’ve always seen the lamp and the light as similar entities and had never differentiated between the two. But, as I prayed into it, He explained what He meant.

These days we have spotlights that light up a path for metres and metres in front of us, enabling us to see where we’re going. However, the oil lamps they used in the Bible only lit up a radius of about a metre, so you could only see a metre in front of you as you walked. Holy Spirit told me that He was not going to give me a clear vision of what was coming because that year was not about advance planning. It was about learning how to trust Him in every area of my life. It was about taking one step, then one more, then another …not knowing where my steps were actually leading me to.

Boy, was He right! As I’m sure you know, 2020 was the year that the global Covid19 pandemic shook the world. Our lives were turned upside down and any plans we might have had were brought to a standstill, because of the restrictions and lockdowns that we faced.

        That year, I learnt to trust Him on a level that I had never done before. I learnt how to navigate my way through a difficult work transition, church changes and tough family issues, as well as all the restrictions and stresses that were the natural by-product of a country in lockdown. I learnt to trust Him and look to Him every step of the way.

        He was a lamp to my feet.

I never had a light to my path that year. I hadn’t a clue where we were heading, or what life was going to look like during the pandemic, let alone when it was all over. But I didn’t mind. I was so grateful that He gave me a ‘heads up’ at the beginning of the year because that gave me time to prepare my heart and focus my gaze on Him, not on the path ahead. That, in turn, enabled me to journey well throughout the course of the Covid19 pandemic.

Trust your Guide!

Until next time ….

Ask yourself where “there” is. Think about where you are going and what is motivating you to get there.

Ask yourself, “Am I okay not knowing where ‘there’ is, or what it looks like?” 

Let go of the need to know where He’s leading you and what He’s leading you into. Decide to trust your heavenly Father to lead you and guide you where He wants you to go.

Nicky Heymans is an author of historical fiction who is known for drawing fresh life and inspiration out of familiar Bible stories. She would love to hear from you! Please feel free to share your thoughts or ask questions by scrolling down to the bottom of this page and clicking on the 'contact' link, and she will get back to you.