As a pastor, I can say that some of my most discouraging moments come when people come to you for guidance in their life, listen to all you have to say (that is based on God’s Word), and yet decide to continue down the same path that they were headed.  It is hard to see that.  It breaks my heart to see people suffer things that they did not have to suffer. Andy Stanley’s book, “The Principle Of The Path” is all about this idea that people think they can end up where they want to go by going down any path they choose.  Andy puts it this way:

“It breaks my heart how many people I speak with  who don’t connect the dots between the choices they make and the outcomes they experience.  They’ve come to believe the popular notion that as long as their intentions are good, as long as their hearts are in the right place (whatever that means), as long s they do their best and try their hardest, it doesn’t really matter which path they take. They believe somehow they will end up in a good place. But life does not work that way.”

No matter how simple and elementary that may seem, there are so many people that do not get.  I would actually venture to say that all of us at one time or another have thought this way.  I know I have.

Andy uses real-life stories (that will relate to every one who picks up this book) to drive home his point that “direction trumps intention every time.”  I wish everyone could read this book, capture the truth and then act on it.

“Your final destination is determined by the path you choose and where it leads, regardless of your intentions.”

Thanks to Thomas Nelson for providing the book for review.