Your Turn Around

There are times when we use the words “turn around” to mean our life will turn around when God shows up and turns our life around in a dramatic fashion. It doesn’t always work that way.

When Jan and I lived in the West Indies we were based in Kingston, Jamaica. Kingston is not like the touristy north coast with gated all-inclusive resorts in towns like Negril, Ocho Rios, and Montego Bay. Those enclosures are illusions of reality created for tourists. When we arrived in Kingston it was one of the most violent cities in the world. The Peace Corps removed their personnel from Kingston the week we arrived.

After living in Kingston for almost a year it was time for national elections. The last election had been so violent and murderous they had suspended elections for several years. When elections were reinstated demonstrations began to take place all across the island.

One morning, I got in my jeep to drive into the heart of the city. All was well until I came to a major intersection not far from our apartment. I could see in the distance hundreds of people milling around with protest signs. Immediately, the Spirit literally yelled the words in my heart, “Turn around!” As soon as I heard that command, I executed a quick 180 and drove back to our apartment. I had a local radio station playing in the jeep when all of this transpired. A couple of minutes later, I pulled into our driveway as a breaking news broadcast interrupted the normal programming declaring, “Machine gun fire breaks out at a local demonstration. Many shot and wounded.” The news broadcast identified the intersection as the one I was about to drive through.

There are times the turn around you are looking for is like the steering wheel in my Jamaican jeep. God is not going to turn the wheel. That is our job. He will warn us or inform us of what is ahead letting us know that the safest way forward is not always along the route we first considered.

When you hear the voice of God obey His instructions - immediately. There may even be times when it feels as though the Spirit is making an impassioned plea for your obedience. Obey these pleas without dissent or deliberation. When obeyed without hesitation they have the ability to deliver you safely into your future.