From the fairway, I squinted at the green and hesitated before selecting a club because I was unsure of the distance. I noticed a yardage marker several feet from where I stood but didn’t bother to walk over and look. I decided to stick with my club selection. I’d been playing golf for years and was confident in my ability to eyeball the distance. The shot was beautiful, and the ball soared toward the middle of the green. But its flight continued and plummeted into a cluster of trees.

Though my poor club choice was an insignificant decision in the scope of life, it provides an example of how confidence in our own ability to make decisions can lead us off target in our walk with God.

Just as yardage markers give guidance for golfers making decisions about club choice, God’s Word provides us with the direction to make the right decisions in life. But often we are so confident in our decision-making skills we neglect to consult the Bible. When this happens, we can find ourselves off course, frustrated, and missing God’s best for our lives.

Joshua 1:8 reminds us, “Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful.”

God’s Word serves as a yardage marker to help us stay on target, so be sure to read it daily.