True North
As I was preparing the science lesson for nine eager 5th grade students, I realized it involved using a compass. While I have a sash adorned with colorful Girl Scout badges from my elementary years stashed somewhere in a closet, clearly this skill is one that did not stick. I looked puzzled at this unstable arrow moving from N to E and on to S changing every time I stepped in a different direction and I quickly racked my brain at where to start. In my 40 years of life, I have clearly not used one that often. This device that is supposed to help me find my way was simply changing right along with me. It went where I wanted to go and soon became completely unreliable. My husband observed my puzzled look and wandering steps, then cautiously asked if I needed help. Swallowing my pride, I admitted my incompetence and my desperate need to figure it out so that I had even the slightest chance at looking like an expert in front of my students.
He replied confidently, “Well, first, you have to find true north.”
“True north?” I asked. “Right. What’s that again?”
He politely took the compass and positioned it in my hands, so that the arrow of the compass adjusted in complete alignment with the ‘N’.
Then he coached, “Now that you know your starting place, you can figure out what direction to walk to get to your destination.”
While it made complete sense, in reality it was actually much harder to do than I anticipated. It took practice but I eventually was able to teach the students and watch them navigate their obstacle course, completing the mission on their own.
We can all agree that navigating life and determining which paths to take in order to arrive at a desired destination is nothing short of complex. Like me, you may have a goal in mind or a vision of where you want to go, but if you don’t know where you are to begin with, you find yourself lost before you’ve even started.
Our heart is the arrow to the compass of our lives. Where our hearts are aligned determines which direction we walk. If our hearts are the arrow, then true north for each us must be something that does not change or we will simply follow whichever direction our heart leads at the moment. While that may sound dreamy, in reality it will leave you feeling confused and unsatisfied always searching for a new and better path to follow.
Where are you today? What is your true north? Are you letting your heart guide your steps or something greater that will not shift with culture or time or season?
I have found, there is only one who never changes and is worthy of being our ‘true north’. He promises to be the same yesterday, today, and forever.
Your heart’s desires will vary, the numbers on the scale and color of your hair will alter, those living life beside you will always evolve, but God promises to remain the one thing you can count on in any season.
As you align your life on the Truth of who God is, your steps will be directed on a straight path to a destination that promises to satisfy you for all eternity. Join me on the journey of exploring who God is and how we make the most of our time while learning how to build one another up along the way.