Why We Need a Better Guide
If you’ve ever gotten lost because you followed your instincts instead of directions you were given, I’m sure you learned a few valuable lessons. First, if someone else knows the way to your destination, and you don't, you should probably follow their directions. And second, be careful who (or what) you choose as your guide.
You Get to Choose What Will Guide Your Life
Out of God's love for us, God has given us the freedom to not have to do everything God wants or tells us to do, like a bunch of robots. We are free to choose to let God's Word and God's ways guide our lives or to choose another option. What are some of those other options?
Following Your Heart
This is probably the piece of advice we hear most frequently about what should guide our life. "Just follow your heart." It sounds nice, doesn't it? The problem is this: have you taken a close look at your heart lately? I'm not talking about booking an appointment with your cardiologist. I'm talking about your desires, your motivations, your will, why you do what you do and what you're trying to accomplish by doing it.
The Bible diagnoses our heart problem far better than we can. The prophet Jeremiah writes in Jeremiah 17:9, "The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it?" Our hearts can't tell us the right way to go because they are deceitful. Sometimes they will lead us in the right direction, and other times they will lead us astray. And here's where the danger lies: We won't always know the difference until it's too late!
Proverbs 14:12 warns us, "There is a way that seems right to a person, but its end is the way to death." We need an expert physician to heal us, and we need a source of truth outside ourselves.
Following Other People
While we need other people to go through life with us and offer us help when we don't know where to go, we also need a source of truth even beyond the people we trust so we can evaluate the guidance they give us. The apostle Paul asks us important questions in Galatians 1:10, "Am I now trying to win the approval of human beings, or of God? Or am I trying to please people? If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a servant of Christ."
God's Word: A Lamp for Your Feet
Psalm 119:105 beautifully describes God's guidance, "Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path." Notice something important here: the psalmist describes God's Word as a "lamp for my feet" and "a light on my path." It's not a torch or a bonfire or a tactical flashlight. That tells us something important about how God's Word lights our way.
If God's Word is a lamp to our feet, that means it doesn't light the path ahead very far. Instead, the lamp of God's Word provides just the light we need, when and where we need it, just enough for us to confidently take the next step and trust that God knows the way through the darkness around us.
Learning from Jesus: Using God's Word to Combat Temptation
Jesus shows us exactly how to use God's Word as our guide. When tempted in the wilderness, as recorded in Luke 4:3-12, Jesus responded to each temptation by quoting Scripture. To the devil's offer of bread, Jesus replied, "It is written: 'Man shall not live on bread alone'" (Deuteronomy 8:3). To the offer of worldly power, he said, "It is written: 'Worship the Lord your God and serve him only'" (Deuteronomy 6:13).
Jesus was prepared to use and trust the Word of God in every situation. His life was immersed in the power and presence of God, and he shows us that we can be, too.
Putting It Into Practice
As Colossians 3:16 encourages us, "Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom." God's Word is not just for each of us individually; it's for all of us collectively!
So let's not take the Word of God for granted. Let's commit ourselves to living each moment of each day with God's Word as our guide, trusting it even more than we trust ourselves. Let's be people defined by God's Word which guides our journey, so that together, we may stay on the good path and arrive at the glorious destination God has in store for us.
Reflection
What guides your daily decisions? Take an honest look at your heart: are you primarily following your feelings, seeking approval from others, going along with cultural trends, or truly letting God's Word direct your path?
How prepared are you to combat temptation? When faced with difficult choices or tempting situations, do you have Scripture readily available in your heart and mind like Jesus did in the wilderness?
Is God's Word alive and active in your life? Are you allowing Scripture to penetrate "even to dividing soul and spirit" and judge "the thoughts and attitudes of the heart," or are you keeping it at a surface level?
Application
This week, commit to making God's Word your primary guide by taking these concrete steps:
Memorize one verse that addresses a current struggle or decision you're facing
Before making any significant choice, ask yourself: "What does God's Word say about this?" rather than "What does my heart tell me?"
Join with other believers to study and discern God's Word together, remembering that it's meant to guide us collectively, not just individually
Remember, God's Word is like a lamp for your feet. It may not illuminate the entire road ahead, but it provides just enough light for you to confidently take the next step and trust that God knows the way through the darkness.
Prayer
Gracious God, forgive me for the times I've trusted my own deceitful heart more than your trustworthy Word. Like Jesus in the wilderness, help me to be prepared with Scripture when temptation comes. Let your Word dwell in me richly, cutting away what doesn't belong and healing what is broken. Give me the wisdom to use Scripture to interpret Scripture and surround me with fellow believers who will help me discern your truth. Thank you that your Word is full of both grace and truth, exactly what I need for this journey. Guide my steps today and always. In Jesus' name, Amen.
