Lost Again

A few weeks ago, I was making a quick trip home from work, and I got lost. By the time I realized I was surrounded by unfamiliar territory and sought the help of the gps to tell me what town was nearby, Siri informed me that I had traveled more than an hour west of my destination. Home is a straight line NORTH of work, but at the halfway point, I took 35W instead of continuing on 35E. I've traveled this road countless times. Countless. So this wasn't an unfamiliar route. There wasn't road construction or high traffic forcing me to detour. Honestly, I just wasn't paying attention. Distracted by my thoughts and my telephone conversation, I just went the wrong way. And then, I just kept going the wrong way for miles and miles. My one hour trip home turned into a three hour life lesson.

That happens to me more often than I would like to admit. I start off on the right path. I set a destination, a goal; I map it out, make a plan; and like a race car, I take off, headed for the finish line. But somewhere along the way, I get distracted, and by the time I come to my senses and realize I'm off course, it seems I'm always way off course. Way, way off course. I find myself, more often than not, wondering where I went wrong and how I got to this unfamiliar territory. 

Distractions. They come in all sorts of ways. People. Thoughts. Fears. Procrastination. Life. Boredom. Busyness. Disappointments. Self defeat. Fun. Work. Criticism. Pride. Slothfulness. Impetuousness. You name it; I've been distracted by it. 

Whether I'm looking at the numbers on the bathroom scale, the beautiful but unfinished quilt, the abandoned remodel project, the amount of money in my savings account, the blank pages of my journal, another notification from my MapMyWalk app, or the you-name-it-idea now forgotten that once seemed so brilliant, none are more important than the destiny He has chosen for me. The destiny that calls me to walk with Him, talk with Him, pursue Him... And in doing so, discover and become the me He created me to be. 

When I come to the end of my life, I don't want to look around and discover I'm in unfamiliar territory, wondering how I got off course or where I went wrong. I don't want life to happen when I'm not paying attention. I want to live life intentionally. No more coasting through, going wherever the road leads, no more cruise control, letting life lead me. Instead, I want to focus on the goal, not the goals I set for myself, but the mark for the prize of the high calling of God which is in Christ Jesus. So when I pull in the driveway, it won't be Siri's voice that tells me I've arrived at my destination, but the voice of my Father who will say, "Welcome Home!"