U-Turn On the Dead End Road
Have you ever found yourself on a road that goes nowhere? Maybe you got there because you turned onto that road thinking that it would take you where you wanted to go. Quite possibly, you might have missed an exit, got off at the wrong exit, or ignored the road signs pointing you in the right direction. It could be you thought the road was a shortcut or maybe you simply just got lost. No matter how you got on it, it soon became apparent that the road you were on was a dead end road and you needed to turn around.
Do you ever fail to listen to the voice coming from your navigational app or the person in the passenger seat? Do you ignore their voice because you know another way?
In life we all find ourselves on dead end roads from time to time. The good news is that while it is true that dead end roads do not lead anywhere except farther away from where you want to go, it is also true that you can get off that road. Dead end roads are never one-way roads. It might be as simple as turning around and going back to the intersection and getting on another road, or you might have to back up on the twisty-turny road, trying to avoid the swamp that sits right next to the road. You know what it is that is “dead end” for you.
There is no shame in being on a dead end road. We all are there at some point in life. If you are truly journeying through life, it is impossible not to get lost at some point. The key is what we do when we find ourselves on that dead end road. I encourage you to look in the mirror and honestly evaluate those things you are doing, or relationships you are in, that are “dead end roads.” It is never too late to turn around and reorient your life. And in doing so, you will find yourself on the highways of life, those very roads that breathe life into you, not suck the life out of you.
King David knew who was to guide him, In Psalm 16:11 we read his words – “You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.” The writer of Proverbs knew this as well – “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will make your paths straight” (Proverbs 3:5-6).
Just as you have a navigational device in your vehicle, or an app on your phone, to guide you while driving, the Holy Spirit (see John 14:15-17), is your GPS in life, desiring to guide your every step. Every dead end road started at some intersection. Make a U-turn and get back to that intersection. Get on your knees and ask God to give you the courage, strength, and wisdom to make the choices needed to get off the wrong road.
(As additional content – When the Holy Spirit is described by Jesus as a Helper, an Advocate, as in the verse above, the Greek word is parakletos. You can think of this in legal terms. While the Spirit is your defense attorney, your Advocate, your Counselor, the opposing counsel is the Accuser, from the Greek transliteration katēgōr. As a noun it means one who speaks against someone before an assembly. As a verb, to accuse. I found some variation of this word more than twenty times in the NT. Here are two – Luke 23:10; Revelation 12:10. In the Old Testament, this idea of accuser (adversary) is most often from the Hebrew noun śātān.)
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