Detours Along The Way

“You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.” Jer. 29:13

I headed to my doctor’s appointment one morning. I’d never been there before, and I don’t have a GPS, but I’d looked up the address ahead of time. Armed with my map and directions, I headed out, confident I’d find the building without a problem. But there were some “bumps in the road” so to speak.

The landmarks I passed bolstered my confidence that was headed the right direction, until I happened upon an unexpected problem—road construction. Orange cones blocked the road, and a detour sign directed traffic to the left, through a residential neighborhood. Where am I now? I asked myself. Concerned, but not too worried, I drove among the houses, following the detour signs. As I passed each one, I reminded myself that my destination was back to the right and further up the road.

Eventually, I made it back to a main street. I turned right and backtracked to the street I’d been traveling originally. Looking around, I saw that I needed to turn left in order to get to the doctor’s office. Ten minutes later, I reached my destination.

When I parked the car, it occurred to me that because I’d kept my destination and its location in mind, I was able to find my way there—despite being sidetracked by a detour.

This happens to me in other areas of my life too. I set out toward a goal but get distracted. Before I know it, I’m headed a different direction. I get confused, sometimes lost along the way. So, I have to regain my bearings and turn back toward my original destination.  As long as I remember where I’m headed, I’ll get there eventually, even if I take a detour or two.