According to the Bible, you really do help choose your destiny, because every person walks one of two paths. One is the self-directed path, where your feelings and desires call the shots. The other is the God-directed path, where you submit to God’s wisdom. The self-directed road is popular but leads to darkness, while God’s path leads to a wise, joyful life close to him.
Two Paths, Two Destinations
Have you ever given someone directions? If you really wanted to help, you made sure they were crystal clear so the person could arrive safely. The Bible does something similar for our lives. Again and again, it describes two paths: the good, righteous or narrow path, and the evil, wicked or broad path.
A helpful way to think about these is the self-directed path and the God-directed path. On the self-directed path, you make choices based on your feelings and desires, and you fight to stay in control. On the God-directed path, you submit to God and his way of seeing the world. Jesus warned that the first path is far more crowded:
Matthew 7:13-14 “Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.
We don’t usually think of most people as wicked, but the Bible is honest that our natural bent is toward pleasing ourselves and drifting away from God. The self-directed path is attractive precisely because it’s all about us.
The Self-Directed Path Leads to Darkness
Popular doesn’t mean safe. The self-directed path is the more destructive road, which is why Proverbs warns so strongly against it. It’s often the road of addiction, pain and loneliness. Nobody sets out hoping to end up there, but after walking it long enough, it can become hard to leave.
Proverbs 4:19 But the way of the wicked is like deep darkness; they do not know what makes them stumble.
That’s a sobering picture. Someone stumbling in the dark can’t see what’s tripping them, so they keep falling over the same things. The farther you go down the self-directed path, the harder it becomes to tell right from wrong, and the farther you drift from God and from the things that truly make life good.
God’s Path Gives You a Guide for Life
The good news is that you don’t have to stay in the dark. The God-directed path comes with godly wisdom, which works like a trustworthy guide. Throughout Proverbs, wisdom is pictured as a valuable teacher who helps you avoid life’s greatest snares. A father in Proverbs 4 urges his son to hold on to that wisdom:
Proverbs 4:11-12 I instruct you in the way of wisdom and lead you along straight paths. When you walk, your steps will not be hampered; when you run, you will not stumble.
While the self-directed life offers one pitfall after another, the God-directed life keeps you close to your Creator. That doesn’t mean you’ll never face hardship. It means you’ll have light for the next step and someone faithful walking beside you.
God’s Path Leads to Real Joy
Some people imagine that following God means a life of burdensome rules. The Bible paints a very different picture. God’s wisdom brings life and health, and it leads to deeper joy than you could find on your own. The key, according to Proverbs, is paying close attention to what’s happening inside you:
Proverbs 4:23 Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.
In the Bible, your heart is the place of your deepest values, motives and desires. If you find yourself on the self-directed path, it’s never too late to turn back to God and start listening to his wisdom. Because Jesus died and rose again, anyone who comes to him can be forgiven and given a fresh start. When you come to God, he renews your heart and fills it with what brings true joy.
The Takeaway
The Bible says you help choose your destiny by the path you walk. The self-directed path is crowded but leads to darkness, while the God-directed path offers wisdom, closeness to God and real joy. Guard your heart and follow his way.
