The Road Before Us - Cherie Sechrist

“I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you and watch over you.” Psalm 32:8 (NIV)

Several months ago I was traveling in an area unfamiliar to me. My GPS was programmed for my destination, but instead of following the direction advised by the instrument on my dashboard, I veered off onto a different course. The GPS simply “recalculated” and advised me what turn was next.

My stubborn willfulness and thinking my way to be the right way meant I continued on with wrong turn after wrong turn, no matter how many times the GPS recalculated and advised me of my error. Hopelessly lost, I took the advice of the GPS only to find in the end, my wrong turns would have taken me completely opposite of where I wanted to be. However, by following the commands this global positioning system imparted, I was still able to reach my intended objective.

There are many times in life we veer off course. Wrong decisions and our own stubborn will take us off the beaten path to places that are not part of God’s divine purpose for our life. We wander down paths that seem right to us, with little thought to the way God is advising we take.

God allows us to make these mistakes. He allows us to take wrong turns. But, just as the GPS knew I made the wrong turn, God knows and He “recalculates” for us. And, like my GPS, He never grows tired of making the recalculations and telling us again and again of the correct path for our lives. If we are willing to listen to His voice – His direction – He will once again put us on the right path for our present and future.


Cherie Sechrist is the author of some 35 plays, which have been performed over the years by various churches. She lives in southern Pennsylvania with her husband of over 35 years. She is the mother of three adult children, all of whom were homeschooled through graduation. She and her husband own a small construction company. Her many loves include reading, writing, entering sweepstakes and Walt Disney World (which she has visited 55 times!) Read Cherie's devotions.