By Li Meng
There was a man who, when finishing painting the floor, got trapped in the corner of the room because he did the job in a wrong direction. Though he finally got out, there were footprints left on the floor. Because he failed to choose the right direction, his hard work only produced trouble for him.
We always believe that our decisions are right. However, after doing a lot of ignorant things, we would sigh, “If I had known it would come to this, I would have acted differently.”
Actually, we insignificant humans are incapable of seeing through everything. Therefore, if we merely rely on our conceptions and imaginations to choose the direction we do things in, we would probably run contrary to the goal. In fact, regardless of what direction we choose, so long as we don’t act according to God’s word, we would inevitably walk on the wrong path.
The Lord Jesus said: “I am the way, the truth, and the life” (John 14:6). From this, we can see that only the truth from God can lead us in the most accurate direction. When we rely on God, we will have ways to go on in everything, while if we disobey God’s teaching and deviate from His requirements, we would get further and further from God and finally walk toward darkness.
In the beginning, God commanded Adam and Eve, our ancestors, saying: “Of every tree of the garden you may freely eat: But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, you shall not eat of it: for in the day that you eat thereof you shall surely die” (Genesis 2:16-17). Later on, they were tempted by Satan and ate the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, disobeying God’s teaching. As a result, they lost God’s protection and lived in sin.
Saul, the first king of Israel, is another example. When Jehovah God commanded him to utterly destroy the Amalekites and their livestock, he disobeyed His commandment: He spared Agag’s life and kept the best of the sheep and oxen under the pretext of sacrificing them to Jehovah God (See 1 Samuel 15:18-23). Saul acted according to his own ideas instead of God’s commandment, and finally stepped on the wrong path. What he did offended God’s disposition and caused him to be rejected by the Holy Spirit. As the Bible says, “Has the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to listen than the fat of rams” (1 Samuel 15:22).
From these two examples, we can see that God’s requirement is the principle and direction for us to do everything in our life. If we conduct ourselves according to our own ideas or imaginations instead of God’s requirements, we would take the wrong path and become increasingly distant from God.
God says: “When people stray from God, they can fall captive to Satan at any time. And after that, what will be revealed in their words and actions? (The corrupt disposition of Satan.) At this time, people will likely make mistakes, they will reveal their rebelliousness, and will interrupt; at any time, there is the risk that they will be used and taken captive by Satan—how frightful that is! Thus, not straying from God in your heart and being able to come before God at all times is an attitude of reverence toward God, and only when you possess this attitude can God protect you from taking the wrong path” (“Only With the Truth as Their Life Can People Live a Life of Value”).
So, only when we listen to God’s word, pray to and rely on Him in all things, will we not lose our way. God is the truth and the source of all positive things. As long as we believe in God and accept His guidance, we will choose the right direction.
