"Which Way Are You Going?" A Journey from Disorientation to Decision (Psalm 120)

Have you ever worked really hard… and then looked up and realized you’ve gotten nowhere?

I’m talking about the kind of work that leaves you tired and sweaty, but the result doesn’t match the effort.

Like sanding drywall for hours and still feeling like the wall looks the same. Or doing a basement cleanout that somehow gets messier as you go. Or swimming against a current, giving everything you’ve got… just to stay in the same spot.

That’s what life can feel like sometimes. A whole lot of motion. A whole lot of effort. And yet… no real progress.

And if we’re being honest, that’s exactly where Psalm 120 begins.

Not in victory. Not on a mountaintop. Not in the highlight reel of someone’s spiritual journey.

Psalm 120 begins in distress.

And I think that’s important, because it teaches us something right away:

God isn’t waiting for you to “get it together” before He meets you. He meets you where you are—even when you feel lost.

The Psalms of Ascent: Songs for the Journey Home

Psalm 120 is the first of the Psalms of Ascent—a collection of songs sung by pilgrims as they traveled up to Jerusalem.

These weren’t private worship songs in earbuds.They were songs sung together.

Families. Friends. Strangers walking side by side.

They would sing them on the way to Jerusalem for major feast seasons like:

• Passover

• Pentecost

• Tabernacles

These were songs for the road. Songs for people on the move. Songs for people heading somewhere.

And maybe that’s why Psalm 120 hits so hard.

Because the first thing it asks of us isn’t, “How far have you come?” It’s:

Which way are you going?

“I’m Not Where I’m Supposed to Be.”

That’s the heartbeat of Psalm 120.

It’s the internal moment where someone finally stops making excuses and admits what they’ve been feeling for a while:

“Something is wrong.”“I don’t feel at home here.”“I’m not where I’m supposed to be.”

Psalm 120 describes living in places like Meshech and Kedar—hostile territory. Far from peace. Far from the dwelling of God.

And that’s not just a geography lesson.That’s a spiritual reality.

It’s what it feels like when your life starts drifting.

You’re surrounded by voices that distort what’s normal. You’re living around conflict, compromise, and dysfunction long enough that it starts to feel familiar.

And the danger is… eventually you stop noticing it.

1) Every Journey with God Begins with Admission

(Psalm 120:1–2)

The first step in this journey isn’t a map. It isn’t a plan. It isn’t even strength.

It’s admission.

Psalm 120:1 says the writer cried out to the Lord in distress.

Not because everything was going great…but because something was wrong.

And honestly, this is where so many of us get stuck.

Because we want growth without honesty.

We want to change without confessing.

We want freedom without admitting we’re trapped.

Sometimes we’re living with this strange combination:

Dependence without direction.

We still believe in God. We still pray. We still show up.

But deep down… we’re not sure where we’re going anymore.

And in the age of instant answers, it’s easy to look for a shortcut.

Quick fixes. Cheat sheets. Fast-track spirituality.

Social media counseling A quote here, a reel there. A dopamine scroll that numbs the anxiety for a moment.

But none of that transforms the heart.

Here’s a question worth sitting with:

What voices are shaping your desires?

Because the biggest issue isn’t always distance…

Sometimes it’s direction.

Decision Matters More Than Distance

One of the most dangerous lies we believe is that change is impossible because we’ve “gone too far.”

But the truth is:

God can redirect anyone who’s willing to decide.

That’s why direction matters more than distance.

And it reminds me of a quote that says:

“If you want something you’ve never had, you’ve got to do something you’ve never done.”

Or like Zig Ziglar put it:

“You don’t have to be great to start, but you have to start to be great.”

Sometimes the most spiritual thing you can do is simply stop pretending and say:

“God, I’m not where I’m supposed to be… and I need You to lead me home.”

2) Effort Does Not Equal Direction

(Psalm 120:5–7)

Here’s where Psalm 120 gets even more confrontational.

The writer says they long for peace… but they live among people who love conflict.

And that feeling—wanting peace while constantly being pulled into chaos—is exhausting.

But what stood out to me is this:

You can work hard and still go the wrong way.

You can be strong, focused, disciplined, and motivated…and still be headed in the wrong direction.

I think about rowing.

If a team is rowing powerfully but not rowing together, what happens?

There’s motion.There’s effort.There’s sweat.But there’s no progress.

Because without unity, there is no movement forward.

And spiritually, a lot of us are in the same place.

We’re doing all the things:

• Podcasts

• Sermons

• Books

• Serving

• Church attendance

• Activity

And none of those are bad.

But here’s the question:

Is it producing transformation… or just motion?

Because you can do spiritual activities and still avoid spiritual obedience.

You can be busy and still be disoriented.

That’s why this line matters so much:

“Effort does not equal direction.”

And here’s the truth that we can’t ignore:

The journey begins not when we move our feet, but when we turn our hearts.

Where Have You Mistaken Activity for Obedience?

This is the moment Psalm 120 forces us to slow down and ask the uncomfortable questions.

Not just:

• “Am I doing enough?” But:

• “Am I obeying what God has actually asked of me?”

Not just:

• “Am I growing?” But:

• “Am I being formed into someone who looks like Jesus?”

Because you can be active and still be unchanged.

And God didn’t save us just to keep us busy.

He saved us to make us new.

Communion: The First Step in the Songs of Ascent

As we responded in communion, we anchored ourselves in 1 Peter 5:6–7:

“Humble yourselves… under the mighty hand of God… casting all your cares on Him, because He cares about you.”

That’s the posture of someone turning around.

That’s what it looks like to stop striving and start surrendering.

Jesus didn’t just teach us the way home.He became the way home.

And on the cross, He showed us the first step in every spiritual journey upward:

Humility. Surrender. Trust.

Communion reminds us we don’t climb our way to God.

Jesus came down to bring us back.

So… Which Way Are You Going?

Let’s bring it back to the question that started it all.

Not: “How hard are you working?” Not: “How tired are you?” Not: “How far have you wandered?”

But simply:

Which way are you going?

Because direction changes everything.

And today, you might not feel strong. You might not feel ready. You might not feel like you’ve done much right lately.

But if you can admit where you are, God can lead you home.

Reflection Questions

Take a moment and sit with these:

• Where in your life do you feel disoriented right now?

• What voices have been shaping your desires more than God’s Word?

• Have you confused spiritual activity with spiritual obedience?

• What would it look like to “turn your heart” back to God today?

• What are you carrying that God is asking you to cast on Him?

A Simple Prayer

Jesus, I’m not where I’m supposed to be.I’ve been moving, but I don’t know if I’ve been going in the right direction. Today I humble myself under Your hand. I give You my anxiety, my burdens, my distractions, and my striving. Lead me home. In Jesus’ name, amen.