When I Forget Who God Is

The road directions mapped out my course on my phone even without wifi, and I jammed out to music as I sped down the roads. I knew half of the route after all. No need to worry.

But first, a quick stop at a store to pick out a snack to take with me to the party. I walked through the sliding doors and bouquets of flowers bobbed at me. No, I didn’t need flowers. Two steps towards the food, and I changed my mind.

With five sunflowers clasped in my hand, I checked out.

Back in the car, I navigated the unknown roads, and I was pleased because so far things were going as planned. Even my educated guesses were correct.

Until one time.

Fifteen minutes later, I realized that I was not pulling into my host’s driveway. Fields of tall grass surrounded me and then forest.

A woman exercise-walked up a hill, and I slowed, rolling down my window and trying not to be a creeper.

“Excuse me? Do you know Burnfield Court?” I called out my window.

She stopped her walking and shook her head. “I don’t. Is that in this county?”

My stomach sunk. I was really lost. Where were the road signs? That had been the beginning of my problem. And why didn’t I just turn on my data so the GPS could guide me…Oh, I remembered, I was trying to save money on my phone bill.

“Okaaaay. What’s the name of this road then?”

“Licorice Drive.”

At least now I knew where I was, even if it meant that I was not where I was meant to be.

Does that ever happen with you? You’ve made a checklist, did everything on it, but things still didn’t come together like you thought they would? Or you’ve done all the right things but life didn’t live up to your plan?

Oh, honey, you aren’t the only one.

I think we all get there sooner or later, whether you followed The Plan or rebelled against whatever expectations others had for you. Eventually, we smash into the road rut, spinning out of control and smearing across the pavement, skidding to a stop to stare up at the sky.

What. just. happened?

It’s another type of lost, a scarier kind because it’s not the simple turn-your-car-around-we’ll-be-back-on-track-in-five-minutes.

Maybe it’s the mid-life crisis or the 20s wake up call. I’ve heard the talk about it, where one day so-and-so wakes up from her hit-the-snooze-half-asleepness to say, “How did I get here? I don’t want this life.”

As much as I don’t like to admit that I’m lost and need directions, stopping and asking for help will get me on the map again.

Unless you’re one of those types…who likes wandering around lost, trying to Eat-Pray-Love your way to finding yourself in an unknown field or forest. But why wonder lost…when you don’t have to? When there’s a map with directions?

I’ve been pondering something for a long while. I don’t really know how to write it, how to pack it nicely into a perfect article of truth. But I want you to think about it, too. Please don’t let me headache over this on my own!

 

When I forget who God is, I forget who I am.

I get lost.

 

Am I the only one who’s seen this? In myself? In others? Honestly, the only way I can see God is through my very human eyes and I often project my own flaws onto Him. But that’s not how it’s meant to be.

I am not God. Are you? No?