In life, most of us don’t want a simple road map. What we want is a Garmin with the route we are supposed to take highlighted and a voice giving us turn by turn commands. This is usually partly because of a next thing mentality. We want to get to the goal now. We want to be in control. Ultimately this means we don’t really enjoy the journey.

I have counseled many young adults, most of which are looking for their future spouse. This is not an uncommon thing, nor is it a bad thing. But most of them say the same thing, “I wish I already knew who he or she was,” or “I’ll be glad when I’m finally married.” God has placed them in this season of their lives for a reason. I often quote Richard Crisco, “Stop looking for Mr. or Miss Right and try to become Mr. or Miss Right.”

What this means is don’t despise the journey! You need the journey. The journey of our lives is what prepares us for what God ultimately wants to do with us. This is the place where God teaches us and perfects or matures us.

When all we look at is the goal, and don’t take time to enjoy our journey to the goal, we miss out on life. The steps that we are taking right now are training us for the future. The word of God is imperative in this process.

God doesn’t usually give us the turn by turn directions, like I mentioned earlier. Your experience probably matches with that. It probably more like Psalms 37 where the psalmist says, “If the LORD delights in a man’s way, he makes his steps firm; though he stumble, he will not fall, for the LORD upholds him with his hand.”

Notice that he said “If the LORD delights in a man’s way.” It would seem as if the psalmist is saying that we have a choice. On one path our steps make God happy. On the other, He isn’t so thrilled. Though debated about in theology classes across the world, free will seems to be how we experience the world around us. It is also how we experience God. We have a choice to let God have control or keep the control to ourselves.

Take a step toward your goal, but don’t despise that step because you haven’t reached your goal yet. Life will happen today, enjoy it.