Divine Detour

By Brian Williams

It’s happened to most of us at some point. While driving along at 70 miles per hour and enjoying the beautiful scenery, suddenly, the thought strikes you that you are headed in the wrong direction, and panic sets in. We don’t brag about moments like these, but they happen more often than we care to admit.

Or, maybe it happened like this. You’re driving along, and you see a “Road Closed” sign followed by a number of detour signs. All of a sudden, the ease of travel and the confidence of an early arrival seem to be in jeopardy. Who knows what this “detour” will look like?
Perhaps your journey became very confusing because of road signs. In fact, you may have been traveling in a location such as Wytheville, Virginia, where one highway is named both I-77 north and I-81 south. Which direction is it? Is it north? Is it south? It’s hard to tell from looking at the signs.

Traveling can be confusing, wouldn’t you say? Like traveling, life can often be confusing as well. While doing ministry and life, you look around only to realize that you’re no longer going in the direction you intended. What must happen in those times? How should we respond? Because this happened in my life on at least two different occasions, let me share my story.

It first happened to me as a senior in high school. I was graduating with both a high school diploma and a vocational degree in electronic technology. It was 1991, and the world of electronics was changing rapidly, so opportunities were abounding.

I had just completed the initial interview to be hired by the Newport News Shipbuilding Company in Newport News, Virginia. They would pay for me to further my education while also paying me a really good wage for an 18-year-old boy. Life was good, and my career was set when all of a sudden God used a message from His Word and some godly counsel to help me realize that I was heading in the wrong direction. I submitted to God’s direction for my life and to His calling. Instead of Newport News Shipbuilding Company, I enrolled at Southeastern FWB College that fall, and my life was changed forever.

The second instance came when I was serving as a pastor In Lincolnton, North Carolina. I had been there for over 11 years, and we were having the time of our lives. Our children were born there and were spoiled by the good folks in the church. I had often remarked that I could see myself retiring at the church. God was blessing the ministry, and the “cruise control” was set. It was at this point in our lives, however, that God gripped our hearts for the Northeast and called us to serve as church planters in Buffalo, New York.

I must be honest and say that we analyzed this “road sign” in every way possible to make sure we were indeed following God’s new direction for our lives. After all, life in the North can be quite different than life in the South.

What should a person do when sensing a new direction? First, consider the road signs in your life. While they may be unclear or even confusing at times, as a general rule, they serve as clear indicators of where you are and where you are going. Second, follow the prompting and direction of the Holy Spirit. He is intricately and actively involved in the lives of believers, leading them where He sees fit.

You will never go wrong in following Him. Finally, consider the counsel of other believers. While none of us like a “back-seat driver,” the counsel of those you love and trust may confirm the new direction in which God is taking you.

I hope you enjoy the trip!

About the Writer: Brian and Emily Williams are church planters in Buffalo, New York. Learn more about their church: www.northpointbuffalo.com.