Staying Connected.
A few days ago I went out for a morning run with my new GPS watch and had an equipment malfunction. For some reason, the GPS signal would not pick up! I waited, stretched some, waited more, glanced at the watch screen with increasing irritation—and then waited more. Since I generally lack patience, after about five minutes of waiting I just decided I would just start running and hope that somewhere along the route the GPS would begin to work. To my disappointment, it never did! I ran for over thirty minutes with a frustrating screen that looked like this:
Consequentially, at the end of my trek, I had no idea how far I had run, what my route was, or how quick my pace was.
At home, post run, I thought about how similar this experience is to how I sometimes live out my days as a Christian. Then, this morning at church, this very concept was preached about and I knew I had to journal/blog these thoughts. There are some mornings where I am rushed, unfocused, or just plain lazy and fail to appropriately “link sensors” with God. At times, I am unwilling to wait on God and refuse to invest the additional time needed to connect my heart with His. Because of my impatient and undisciplined spirit, I decide instead, to just go ahead and run!
And run I do. Fast. Without a direction. Without clear objectives or goals.
The thing is, I can run and run, but if the GPS sensor isn’t linked to the source, it’s meaningless. It counts for nothing! There’s no record of the mileage, the pace, or the route. All my efforts done without being connected to the GPS are fruitless and useless. A complete waste!
For my life as a Christian to be effective, I must consistently be connected to God’s GPS for my life. I must remain “linked” and on those days where my mind, heart, and spirit seem to malfunction, on those days– I must put more concentrated effort on that connection!
My own efforts, plans, strengths, and capabilities will always result in wasted days, disappointment, and consistent failures. Today, I am reminded that it is through the link, through the connection of my heart to His, I am able to be the individual He has called me to be!
John 15:5
“I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.