where are you going?

I once read this story about two guys who passed each other at a crossroads. One was an elderly man, walking with the aid of a stick. The other was a young man, barely out of college. As they passed each other, the old man asked the young man 'where are you going?' The young man named his destination. The old man repeated his question, and the young man gave the same answer again. The old man was adamant, he said 'I mean, WHERE are you going?' the young man, by now fed up with repeating himself, said I am just going to the next town to sort out some business, smiled and walked away. As he walked away, he began to think over what had just happened. He continued turning the conversation over and over in His mind until he realized something that caught his attention: the old man was not interested in his destination for that day, he was putting a profound question to him about his life. His question was about the direction the young man's life was headed. This made him stop, and sit and think back on all what he had achieved so far, what he still aimed to achieve, and the steps he was going to take towards them. Of all the stories I have ever read, this one stayed in my mind. I am not even sure why. So many times I ask myself 'where are you going' literally, and metaphorically. Most of the time, I can answer that question in a straightforward manner. For all those other times when I could not, being an impulsive 'actor', I have followed my instinct and done things that I've come back to testify about. Sometimes good, sometimes not so good. The one constant in my life is God. There have been times when I've not been so sure that He was there, and there have been times when He feels so real, I can touch Him. I rest in the assurance that he is the driver of my car, and as long as He is sat behind the steering wheel, I am going in the right direction. It is not always easy, there are times when I get in the driver's seat and steer wildly and struggle desperately to head in one direction, and He patiently speaks to me, telling me to let go and let Him do His job, because He knows His plans for me, and because He sees the bigger picture of the whole of my life, it's relevance to other people's lives, and the perfect time to be in certain places. When I not only let go but also seat in the passenger's seat and watch which way He is directed, I can confidently say where I am going. When life's storms come, as they always do, my assurance is in His promise of salvation, right? So why then do I find it so difficult to trust Him at those times when life hurts most? I am told that it is in my weakness that He is made strong, and that God will never lay a burden upon me that is too difficult for me to bear. Fine. So at those times when life hurts and He feels distant, He is moulding me, shaping me, preparing me for the next level, getting ready to shift gear for the smooth sailing to His destination for me... I like the sound of that! I am confident that where I am headed, is where God wants me to be. Where I am right now, is exactly where I need to be at this point in time, and at the appointed time, He will drive me further. I mentioned how I've learnt the hard way, to let go and let God. I hope to share some of those experiences in my next few postings...