Stop, Look and Listen

“When the darkness tries
To hide my way
Your Word is the light
That guides my faith
I will trust in You…

When my heart is weak
And I've lost my way
I will lift up my eyes
And choose to say
I will trust in You…” – from the song Through Christ

Have you lost your way? Or did you think you were on the right path, then a big obstacle totally derailed your plans and now you don’t know what to do? Or are you just clueless about where you want your life to go?

As the new year starts, it would be good to STOP and take a look at where you are and reflect on where you want to go. Often, you waste a lot of time when you just keep on going without finding out the correct route.

Take this funny skit at the last Feast about a lost biker. His starting point: Mines View Park in Baguio. His desired destination: Burnham Park, also in Baguio, just a couple of pedals away. But there he was in Feast Bellevue in Alabang because he just kept on going without checking the roads he had to take. Stopping to ask for directions would have saved him from that long unnecessary trip.

If you don’t want to get lost like that biker, Bro Arun told us to do these 3 R’s to get you on the right path:

• Retool. Equip yourself and learn the right skills that will keep you on your chosen path.
• Reflect. Recall the things that happened to you the past year.  Remember to be grateful for all the blessings big and small.
• Rest. Let God be God and trust that He has your life map in His hands.

The most important point that hit me in this portion of the talk is “STOP AND ASK THE RIGHT PERSON”. Where will you end up if you ask directions from someone as clueless as you are? Bro Arun encouraged everyone to make attending the Feast a weekly habit because it’s one of the best places to get the “right direction”.

LOOK at the Word of God to get your bearings. The Magi who were searching for the true King, went through a progression. They looked at the stars for guidance before they started and kept their focus on one particular star as they journeyed to find Him. In our case, knowing God’s directions by reading His Word daily will ensure we will not get lost.

Many times, we do stop and we do look but then we forget that last important thing – LISTEN!

There’s a line I keep telling myself when I become too busy with my service: “Be Mary.” It’s to remind myself that in the midst of all the community duties I have to fulfill, I should also take time to sit at Jesus’ feet and listen to Him through the talks at the Feast. It happens often that I am at the Feast yet the buzz inside my head, a.k.a. my to-do list, drowns out the lessons being imparted. So I make it a point to attend another session and quiet my mind to just listen.

You will not lose your way when you STOP, LOOK and LISTEN. And don’t forget to TRUST that the Lord is guiding your way as you take these three steps.