Trust your compass!

A few days ago I experienced something rather disconcerting and embarrassing! I love to hike and spend time outdoors—the more remote the better. In the past I’ve prided myself in my ability to navigate using my internal compass and I rarely get lost.

I’ve been hiking lately on two ends of a large wilderness area and wanted to find a route to connect both ends in order to make this a loop hike. The first time I tried to connect the two trails I found myself in dense fog with no landmarks visible. After spending 45 minutes searching for a connecting trail, I had to abandon my attempt and go back the way I had come.

But I was bound and determined to find a route connecting the two end trails. I decided this time to consult a map first and discovered that from the end of one trail I had to hike directly north to connect with the other trail. I packed a compass with me and looked forward to making a successful connection this time.

When I reached the end of the first trail, I took out my compass and took a reading. I was stunned and confused. The compass showed north being back toward the direction from which I thought I had just come! I tapped the compass to make sure it was working. It appeared to be working and consistently pointed back toward the general direction I had just hiked.

I now had a decision to make—should I follow the compass pointing in the direction the map told me to go, or should I follow my “gut” that was telling me to head off in a southwestly direction? I also pondered whether there might be some magnetic field in the area that was skewing my compass. I actually found myself in turmoil over this decision!

Finally, I determined that the most logical thing to do was follow my compass reading even though I didn’t understand how it could be right. To my amazement the compass bearing led me right to the other trail.

As I thought about this experience later on, it occurred to me that we sometimes react toward God with the same skepticism I had toward my compass. We set out with good intentions to follow God’s leading in our lives. But when we come to a place in which his leading seems false or at least suspect. We think, “That can’t be what he wants me to do!” Or, “I must have misunderstood him!” And we follow our “gut” instincts and go our own way—only to regret it later. Proverbs 4:18-27 reminds us:

The path of the righteous is like the first gleam of dawn, shining ever brighter till the full light of day. But the way of the wicked is like deep darkness; they do not know what makes them stumble. My son, pay attention to what I say; listen closely to my words. Do not let them out of your sight, keep them within your heart; for they are life to those who find them and health to a man’s whole body. Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life. Put away perversity from your mouth; keep corrupt talk far from your lips. Let your eyes look straight ahead, fix your gaze directly before you. Make level paths for your feet and take only ways that are firm. Do not swerve to the right or the left; keep your foot from evil.  

©2010 Rob Fischer