On the road to contentment, it is often necessary to get directions! 

Have you ever taken a trip, planned a trip, or found yourself debating on whether to take a trip or not?  And then realized, you had no directions!

You have thought about, dreamt of, and even seen pictures of this destination, yet never looked up or mapped out the directions.

Now assuming you are not a 19 year old reading this, deciding to backpack through Europe with nothing but your backpack, I would imagine the directions and mapping out a course would be vital! It is no different when we chart a course for contentment.

Jesus charted the course for the most important assignment of his life on earth: He had just three years to impact the world with the truth of the gospel message! The very first thing He did was was to put in place the direction for the next three years His vital ministry would take.

He chose His disciples! 

It was the biggest and most important decision He would make.

We read the process He took in finding his direction:

“One day soon afterward, Jesus went up on a mountain to pray, and he prayed to God all night. At daybreak, he called together all of his disciples (aka followers) and chose twelve of them to be apostles.” 

Luke 6:12-13

There were five distinct steps Jesus took in finding direction:

1. He got direction by seeking God the Father in prayer. The first place we must go to find contentment is at the feet of our Father in Heaven, through prayer.

2. He dug out relevant information. He asked himself, “Who are these men? What knowledge, gifts and talents do they have in certain areas to carry out the mission? Who is most likely to have a willing spirit and obey me?

 We need to dig out information regarding our current circumstances, and find relevance in the Truth, regardless of what is swirling around us.

3. He was deliberate. He chose twelve out of all his disciples/followers, and reflected on the pros and cons of each person.

We need to be deliberate, and spend enough time reflecting and examining pros and cons as we move forward.

4. Jesus made a decision. Jesus chose the twelve and moved forward with assurance and confidence in His decision.

We must put our decisions into motion. Delaying too long causes discontent anxiety, and eventually more worry.

5. Jesus evaluated His decision, and stood firm. Jesus is truly God, and we are not. His decision would not require the evaluation and adjustment that our decisions will. We must evaluate our decisions, observing the consequences, and make the necessary adjustments to achieve contentment. It is often the second decision–for us, not Jesus–that is just as important as the first decision!

TRUTH BOMB

FOLLOWING GODS DIRECTION WILL ALWAYS BE THE RIGHT WAY TO GO!

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will direct your paths.”   Proverbs 3:5-6

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