Never Minding The Fog (Part 2 of 2)

Yesterday's post ("Never Minding The Fog - Part 1") was the result of me having to take a tough look at my life and being selfless enough to publicly share my own process of transformation.  I'm a very practical person and strive to make Christianity plain to understand.  So, as promised, here are the "6 Steps To Never Minding The Fog," as inspired by Holy Spirit on yesterday morning.  I pray these insights will also help you on your road to life transformation in Christ.

6 STEPS TO NEVER MINDING THE FOG

(1) KNOW YOUR DESTINATION.  If you don't know where you're going, then any road will get you there.  Have a clear picture of the goal.  Even if you don't quite know how it looks, at least know its address.  Every landmark has a location, so don't "go another further" until you know exactly where you're going.

(2) CHART YOUR ROUTE.  When you fail to plan, you pretty much plan to fail.  So make time to understand which road(s) to take BEFORE your departure.  Not knowing doesn't automatically spell D-I-S-A-S-T-E-R, but knowing will certainly make the trip way more enjoyable for you.  It will also provide you reference points along the way to reassure that you're headed in the right direction while helping calculate how close you are to your destination.

(3) LEARN THE RULES.  It's very important to understand how to properly get where you're going.  Accidents happen when people are ignorant to the rules of the road or simply refuse to follow them.  More importantly, you must be able to recognize the signs you'll see along the way as well as understand their meanings.  The information they provide is extremely necessary; and because of the speed at which you'll be traveling, the signs are designed to share information concisely.    

(4) GET MOVING.  It's quite easy to get stuck in the paralysis of analysis.  But in order to get where you're headed, you must go.  You can't allow the conditions of your environment to keep you at a stand still.  If the weather and road conditions aren't life-threatening, then get on the road.  Stop making excuses because you're wasting time.  Life is short and destiny awaits!

(5) PAY ATTENTION.  Don't get so caught up in what's happening around you that you miss your exit.  Watch for signs, that you may quickly recognize what they mean and react accordingly.  Missing a sign can cost you valuable time, money, and even effort.  Be disciplined and alert throughout your journey.  Doing so will ensure you avoid those mistakes that create the stressful, frustrating consequences that will give you a swift kick in the rear and leave you bitter.

(6) CORRECT ERRORS FAST.  As soon as you realize you're going the wrong way, turn around immediately.  Get back on track!  The longer it takes for you to recognize you're in error, the farther you will stray off course.  And please don't continue in error hoping that a side street or short cut will emerge.  Even if one does, you have no idea what lies there lurking.  Ditch the pride and receive the protection found in correction.  It will save you from experiencing a whole heap of trouble as well as the emotional baggage it can potentially place in your hands.

Never Minding The Fog (Part 1 of 2)

Preface: This post was actually written on Tuesday, December 9, 2014, even though I was not able to post it until today.  Since this writing was based upon what happened that particular day, I didn't want to ruin it by rewording references associated with the then-present.  Thanks for understanding.  I pray this post encourages you.

As I traveled to work this morning, a very thick fog filled the air, decreasing road visibility to less than a quarter-mile on the Interstate.  The downtown skyline, which could ordinarily be seen from many miles away, was completely out of sight--almost as if it didn't even exist.  In the meantime, I had my instrumental music playing while talking to the Father in prayer.  There were several things on my heart for which I desired  direction and clarity on from Him.  This year has been extremely busy for me and even presented some very difficult challenges.  And although I can feel the tide turning, there are just some things in my life that have consistently been troublesome for me.  The greatest of these has been identifying, understanding and following GOD's path towards fulfilling His purpose for my life.

I truly love how GOD relates to me by His Spirit...  As I drove and prayed, Holy Spirit began to speak right there through what was before my eyes: the fog.  Through this morning's commute to work, He gave me a prophetic visual of my life.  He then said, "Although you can't see WHERE you're headed, aren't you still moving forward?  Of course you are.  And why is that?  Because, even though your surroundings are foggy, you already know the location of your destination and the route you must take to get there."  It finally clicked! Right there, smack dab in my face was the issue.  The unnecessary busyness and extreme willingness to help others that I've been exhibiting FOR YEARS has been my way of coping with the fact that I'm unsure about the location of my destination.  It also means I can't even begin to determine what route to take in fulfilling my reason for being.

As I learned from Dr. Myles Munroe, vision is simply purpose in pictures.  Think of it as the brochure a travel agent gives you when planning a vacation to a destination you've never before visited.  It's the only thing you have that connects you to the place you're planning to go UNTIL you get there.  And the more you see it, the more excited you get.  Anticipation builds as the day of your scheduled arrival draws near, doesn't it?  So imagine what it's like having NO brochure, NO vision.  Imagine knowing you're going somewhere but have no idea where you're headed.  Instead of there being great excitement, there's anxiety. And when the atmospheric conditions impair your ability to make sense of the things around you, the anxiety only intensifies.  This is where the enemy is most easily able to leverage the fears we've yet to overcome.  Using our fears, the enemy influences us to make wrong turns (i.e. bad decisions) that ultimately leave us feeling lost, confused and helpless on life's journey.

No matter what may be happening around us, we should still be able to move forward, just as I was able to successfully get to work this morning in the fog.  When we are properly prepared for the journey, it becomes that much easier to never mind the fog.  Therefore, Holy Spirit impressed six directives upon me during this morning's drive in to work which I will post on tomorrow morning.  [Here is "Never Minding The Fog (Part 2 of 2)].  I feel these steps will likewise help you to never mind the fog.  Furthermore, I pray that what's been shared so far has started to stir your heart and encourage you to reflect on your own life.  It would be great to read your thoughts, so please feel free to leave your comments and feedback below.