I have a fairly good sense of direction and can usually find my way to new places. But it isn’t foolproof. I’ve been on roads that turn so subtly that I don’t notice the change in direction. And without external landmarks to mark my course, I may stray off the path.
In unfamiliar territory, a GPS or compass is a good guide, ...if we believe where it is pointing. We have to trust what it tells us, even when our senses say something different.
It's possible to develop our discernment and sense of truth as we mature, but it isn’t foolproof, either. We can get turned around. Paul, a devout rabbi, persecuted the early Christians “with a clear conscience.” He listened to his inner direction; not realizing it took him off track (to put it generously). Fortunately, God got ahold of him and put him back on course.
The Bible points to Truth and Life in the same way that a compass points to true north. I can get turned around, especially if I find myself in unfamiliar or changing circumstances. I need to constantly check my course by reading the Bible, looking at the map God has given. My spiritual walk needs the guidance of the Bible and the Spirit, just as my trek needs a good compass. And I need to trust where it points, regardless of where my feelings lead. God’s Word will keep me calibrated and, unlike Siri, can always be trusted.
I find the world today changing and, at times, disorienting and unfamiliar. My “gut” leads me a certain direction but, if left to my own judgment, I would eventually and inevitably stray off course. I must cling to my Compass to bring me home.
"Direct my footsteps according to your word"
Psalm 119:133
