We all get slammed by challenges at times don’t we? I mean, I don’t care how spiritually mature you are stuff just happens.

We receive lab test results we don’t want. A spouse walks out and really doesn’t want to reconcile. We implode financially and count the days until bankruptcy.

Then our world spins out of control and we just can’t make it stop.

So how do we respond?

I don’t know about you, but I often step up my pace, double my efforts. And you know, sometimes that works.

Yet, if I’m heading the wrong direction I only get where I don’t want to go a lot quicker.

Plus often we end up exhausted from racing which keep us further away from finding solutions.

Instead God promises he has the map and he’ll reveal it to us as we need it.

No, in my experience, most of the time he doesn’t give us the map. He just navigates for us turn by turn. And personally I can find that really frustrating. Because I like knowing where I’m going.

But if we’ll just look for his leading and listen to his guidance we’ll discover he is with us.

We all experience confusing times. Well, at least I do. Probably more than my share.

We get blindsided by something unexpected. Suddenly our world turns upside down and we’re scrambling to work our way out of the mess.

Yet Jesus, as we looked at previously, promises us clarity.

So why don’t we see more of it?

Jesus gives us a clue, “They would turn to me and I would heal them.”*

You might be thinking, “I’m spiritually focused. I pray. I’ve been baptized. I even go to church sometimes.”

But Jesus says simply, “Turn to me.”

See I find we can stuff our lives full of activities that we figure will cause God to act in positive ways.

But Jesus says simply, “Strip away all the activities. Strip away all the fool proof formulas. Strip away all the stuff. And just turn to me.”

And I’ve found when I finally stop, turn to him and look for his answers they come.

Then he brings about what he promises when he says, “I will heal them.”

Literally he’s saying, “I will make them whole so nothing is missing from their life.”

Now that’s what I want.

*Matthew 13:15 (GNT)

All of us face challenges at times that seem unsolvable. We search for answers yet stare at brick walls. Maybe shoot up a prayer but hear only silence.

Yet contrast that with a promise Jesus gave, “Their eyes would see, their ears would hear, their minds would understand.”*

Wow, who wouldn’t like a little of that?

Our eyes will see. We’ll see his miracles. We’ll see clearly his path.

Our ears will hear. Not to get too woo-woo sounding, but I’ve had a few times when facing critical choices I sensed God talking to me. Not an audible voice, but rather like a voice deep inside me speaking to my mind.

Either that or I’m just hearing things but I don’t think so.

Our minds will understand. Frankly, I think all of us would like some clear understanding fairly often.

I don’t know about you, but I find this promise pretty remarkable. And to be honest I’ve experienced all of it on occasion. Often not as much as I wish but I think those times I just got in the way.

I wonder what God would show us if we just asked then truly expected his answer?

*Matthew 13:14 (GNT)

I’ve seen people come up with some of the strangest spiritual concoctions. Particularly it seems rather prevalent on the internet along with a lot of other strangeness.

Now, I’ll be the first to say, life can get pretty confusing. I mean, how many times have all of us, in the midst of a crisis, thought, “Wow, if I’d just like a clear answer. If I could just know exactly what to do right now I’d give anything?”

So off in search of that elusive insight people sometimes develop a sort of mix and match spirituality. A bit of Buddhism here. Mix in a pinch of eastern mysticism. Sprinkle liberally with some new age. Then hang a Native American spirit catcher from your rear view mirror.

The only problem is, well, come on really?

When you think about it logically how could it work? They’re making up their own recipe.

Jesus spoke about some who listened to him, “For they look, but they don’t really see. They hear, but they don’t really listen or understand.”*

Yet, God does offer to guide us with clear direction.

He does though when we truly seek the answers from him in his way.

*Matthew 13:13 (NLT)