The Holy Navigator

"In 800 yards, turn left, then stay straight."

This is what the GPS navigator told me to do; it's not what I did.

I like using the GPS for roads I'm unfamiliar with. It keeps me from having to get directions or use a map. But on roads I already know, I tend to ignore it. Sometimes I persist in going my own way until it finally catches on and adjusts its instructions. Other times I turn it off altogether because I know I do not want to do what it is telling me to do.

As I was ignoring it during my drive to Williamsport today, it occurred to me that this was very much like what I do to the Holy Spirit on a regular basis. In fact, I had done it just a few hours before.

This morning I was talking to my secretary and found myself smack dab in the middle of gossip junction. I knew better than to be there. I heard the navigator in my spirit telling me, "No, this is not the way to go." But since I wanted to go that way, I ignored it. I shut it off. I was enjoying this route too much to exit now.

Of course, I made everything okay by saying helpful things like, "I shouldn't gossip, but . . . " as I proceeded to take part in the decimation of another person's character.

How often do I turn off or ignore the instruction of the Holy Spirit as if He's nothing more than a Tom-Tom?