Ever been driving and suddenly realize you forgot your exit? Or take a subway the wrong direction? You went uptown rather than downtown. What do you do?
Well, hopefully you don’t keep driving in the wrong direction. You take the next exit, or get off at the next stop, and start going back the way you intended. If you’re a little like me, you might get a little annoyed by the inconvenience, and, as you turn around, sigh in frustration about the ten minutes lost. But sooner or later you get back on course. Those lost minutes don’t overshadow your entire day.
When it comes to following God, we can start out sincerely seeking Him and aligning our life according to His principles. He helps us break unhealthy addictions and cleans up our life. Over time we build momentum and experience the kind of life the Bible talks about. A life of peace and joy no matter how hard or ugly our situation. We’re focused less on our own problems and more on those in the circles around us. We connect to a community of believers and find friendships that encourage and support us in our faith. This is the life Jesus meant for us to have. It’s the good life, and we know it.
And then one day we look up and notice we got off track somewhere along the way. It wasn’t intentional, it just happened.
- We go to read our Bible, but get distracted by a notification. Getting to it later never happened. Before we know it, a few days have gone by and our soul feels dry.
- We try to pray, but our mind can’t focus. Those minutes we have to connect with God feel empty and worrisome. Instead of finding gratitude for what we’ve been given, we worry about all that could go wrong.
- We long to connect with those who encourage us and support us, but responsibilities crowd out time for our heart to truly connect.
We can feel lost because our spiritual journey is not like it once was, and it sure doesn’t feel like it’s heading in the right direction. We know God has more for us, but we’re stuck and don’t know how to get back on track.
And this is where I see many people give up and take the long way back. They don’t get off at the next exit, turn around, and get back on track. They keep passing exit after exit all while feeling weary and miserable.
I know this feeling all too well because I’ve been there plenty of times for the both of us. There’s an enemy out there working tirelessly to get us off-track. And when we do, he wants us to feel like it’s impossible to get back. He tells us we’re too far gone, we should’ve known better, and we’re certainly not worth helping. This is a lie from hell, and it’s not true.
God created you to have relationship with you.
Jesus died to keep that relationship open.
God created you for a purpose.
Jesus resurrected so you can live out that purpose.
You are so worth it. You are so loved. And when you understand that to the core of who you are, you will be speeding to that next exit only to turn around and get back on track. Those days, weeks, or seasons lost will not overshadow eternity.
There are all different things I do when I find myself off-track or stuck spiritually. I will change habits, say no to responsibilities, take on new responsibilities, and reach out to friends. I buy new books, start new journals, and look for new worship music. I don’t know what it is for you.
The next time you find yourself in that kind of place, maybe you’ll put your phone in the drawer after work so your mind can clear. Say no to a networking lunch and yes to lunch with a friend. Serve your community. Join a group at church.
When we choose activities and relationships that fuel our soul rather than feed our flesh, we are able to get back on track.
Following God shouldn’t feel burdensome or cumbersome. When it does, it’s usually because we got off-track along the way. Jesus lightens our loads, lifts our burdens, and gives us hope for tomorrow.
If you find yourself off track today (or any day), I want to encourage you to read Psalm 40 meditating on every verse until you sense your soul filled with the Spirit of God.
Here’s a small excerpt to get you started…
I waited a long time for the Eternal;
He finally knelt down to hear me.
He listened to my weak and whispered cry.
He reached down and drew me
from the deep, dark hole where I was
stranded, mired in the muck and clay.
With a gentle hand, He pulled me out
To set me down safely on a warm rock;
He held me until I was steady enough
to continue the journey again.
As if that were not enough,
because of Him my mind is clearing up.
Now I have a new song to sing-
a song of praise to the One who saved me.
Because of what He’s done, many people will see
and come to trust in the Eternal.
Ps. 40:1-3 (the Voice)