True North: Navigating Life With Confidence - By Diran Avagyan

Are you one of those people who can’t drive anywhere without GPS?

If yes, you’re not alone. Even for my everyday destinations, I like to use Apple or Google Maps to get traffic updates and turn-by-turn guidance. Especially on days when I’m distracted or preoccupied, those directions help me stay on track and avoid missing a freeway exit.

The older generation will probably remember those large, foldable paper maps that would unfold inside the car and even block the driver’s view. Those who drove alone often got lost because it was hard to steer with one hand and follow the map with the other.

Long before maps or GPS existed, explorers and travelers looked to the North Star—Polaris—for direction. Polaris doesn’t shift with the seasons; it remains constant as the Earth spins, while all other stars appear to move around it.

When we feel lost in life, we too need that steady point of orientation. Just as the Star of Bethlehem guided the three wise men to the place where Christ was born, we are called to follow the light that leads us to our True North—the unchanging point by which we can orient our hearts and our purpose.

Life as we know it is dynamic. Change seems to be the only constant. Our environment changes with time, political climates shift, and cultures evolve and drift. However, as long as we keep our gaze fixed on our True North, we can always refocus and re-route, finding our way through life’s labyrinth.

In a complex world filled with distractions and uncertainty, it’s easy to lose our sense of direction. Yet Christ remains our True North, quietly guiding us through confusion and change. Even with all our modern technology that connects through satellites, the North Star remains the one reliable directional mark—untouched by poor Wi-Fi signals, battery failures, or system errors.

So, as we rely on technology to guide us, let us not become overdependent on it. Technology can help us find the fastest route, but only faith keeps us on the right one. When our hearts lose signal, when the map recalculates and life takes unexpected turns, may we lift our eyes to Christ, who is not just our destination but our direction—the Way, the Truth, and the Life.