Proverbs 3: 5-6 says, "Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths."
I like my direction to be sure and despise those times when I must back up, turn around or retrace my steps. This blog is one of those times I have had to stop and turn around. In my haste to complete a blog to fulfill my goal of publishing a blog each day of August, I had to stop, delete everything and start anew.
This is actually a good thing, a lesson to be shared. You see, we humans are not perfect, and, in our race through this life we can easily stumble. It is better to get clear direction before beginning any new task.
In my thirteen years working as a three dimensional designer I created designs and prototypes that sold for a few thousand of dollars and I created some that sold for a few million of dollars. We used a design pyramid as an illustration of planning. The pyramid has a large base, but, a very tiny point where the whole structure comes together. If you put much thought into a project (large base), that project becomes easier and easier as it reaches completion (the point). However, the opposite is also true. If you flip the pyramid over and put very little planning into the project (the point) the greater problem and more effort it will take to reach completion (large base). Not only does the work become greater, but, cost and problems are increased. It pays to have a clear direction.
But, where does distance come in? The better my direction, the farther my distance. And, I cover a greater distance in a smaller amount of time which can also cut costs. A clearer direction removes the pitfalls and hiccups that may delay or stall my progress all together. To illustrate, say I am driving down the road at a high rate of speed, I need to get to my destination quickly. But, I did not take the time to map out my journey and along the way a bridge has been washed out. In my rush, I careen into the unknown abyss. Now, I have a delay, a setback or maybe even an end to my journey. But the damage and costs doesn't stop there. Now, I must retrieve my vehicle, repair, if needed, tend to any medical care I may need, regroup and complete or terminate the journey. The lack of planning or direction has cut my distance short and caused me pain and loss in the process.
Believing in God, my daily journey is no different. Each day I must make the decision to follow the instructions in the verse above. By trusting in the Lord, I show my humility and reliance on who He is, what He knows and what He is capable of doing. I find my understanding very lacking when compared to Him. I must acknowledge this fact in every area of my life; marriage, family, career, friendships, etc., and, not just on Sunday mornings.
By following these instructions, my direction is more sure, my path is straighter and my distance is farther.
Haste truly make waste.
Photo courtesy and copyright of Viktor Forgacs of Unsplash.com.