Bible provides guiding points

The shortest distance between two locations is a straight line, but rarely can you get to your destination in a straight line, unless you take a plane. A compass is an excellent navigational device, simply because it has four directional points and it always points north which can help you keep your bearings. Many people use Global Positioning Systems as well for navigational purposes.

If you were to drive from Gardnerville to Las Vegas, you would have to head in several directions, not only traveling south, but also north and east to get to Las Vegas. The Bible provides us four guiding points similar to a compass. Proverbs 3:5-6 says, "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."

If you have lost your direction in life may I suggest, according to the Bible, that the first thing to do is to trust God. You might say, "How do I do that?" Well you can't, unless you know Him. And, in order to know Him I suggest that you open a Bible and read the Gospel of John. This will give you an accurate account of Jesus' life and how you can come to know Him personally.

The second step if you have lost your way in life is to not rely on your own understanding. For example, if you drive in an unfamiliar city, chances are that you may lose your sense of direction and you may have to rely on a compass or a GPS. Even if your senses tell you that you are going in the right direction, you very well may be going in the wrong direction. A navigational device will always let you know what direction you are heading. You must rely on what is reliable and if you do not, you will find yourself lost.

If you would consider trusting God as you apply His word to your life and less on your feelings and intuitions, you will experience God's presence along the way.

The third step is to believe that God is sovereign and He knows what He is doing. When the world presents its material wealth and people try to convince you that you have to have this and that to survive, often times the things we posses burden us down with up keep and expense. What you own today will wear out, lose its value or be someone else's tomorrow. The things we have will not last forever, but the God of creation will last forever and will not change. It is a good thing that God does not change nor does His word change, even though people do. So, learning to trust God, relying on His word and believing in His sovereignty will put you on track.

The fourth step of finding direction in life is actually the promise that He will make your paths straight. Now that doesn't mean that your path in life is obstacle-free. You may have to climb over, crawl under or walk through difficult situations, but your path will be straight and your journey in life will be more enjoyable and less stressful simply because you have built a relationship with the living God who cares and loves you. After all, His name Jesus is Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace. Isaiah 9:6.

- Pastor Albert Vacek is minister of education at First Baptist Church of Minden and Gardnerville. He is a member of the Carson Valley Ministers' Association.