Course Correction

A few months ago, I woke up one morning and the words “course correction” seemed to be etched in my mind. It made me spend a lot of time thinking about situations that I have been through, and situations that friends or acquaintances have shared with me.

When I thought more about course correction, I pictured a boat sailing toward a specific destination. If that boat ends up even a few degrees off course, it will arrive at a different destination than what was planned.

Although the definition of course correction is clear and easy to understand, I did some research to learn more. The primary reference that I found used a spacecraft as an example. If a spacecraft gets off its trajectory, it must be put back on the right path. Makes sense.

I’m going to be honest. I just laughed as I typed that. When I tell you that I “researched” something, that’s code for “I Googled it and learned really quickly what I needed to know to write this post.” In the name of authenticity, I just needed to clear that up.

After my “research” I thought my example of a boat was better for the point that I would like to get across. While a boat is on its course, factors such as the current, wind, and position of the sail are critical in the process of the boat making it to its destination.

I imagined each of us on our own boat. The current and wind represent the things that we go through in life. The good and the bad. The sail represents our relationship with God. The process of a boat making a successful trip from point A to point B is not easy if our sail is not positioned correctly according to the conditions met.

Because it is not simple, it makes sense that so many of us are off course. A series of seemingly small, and some big adjustments of the sail may have taken us to a completely different place in life than what we imagined or dreamed of.

If we get tired of sailing along our own path and decide to hand it over to God, I believe that course correction is necessary. For some, there may need to be a drastic amount of course correction, and for others not as much.

There will likely be a period where things appear to be worse than they were before we properly aligned our sail. Just hang on. You will not drown. Part of the journey is learning to not be moved by the way things look. Romans 8:28 (NIV) says “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” You have been called, and God has a plan and a purpose for your life. This is a wonderful opportunity to start getting serious about letting go and letting God do whatever He wants to do to correct your course. When you choose to walk fully with God in every area of life, He will not fail you. He really is working things out for your good.

In case you didn’t notice, I said “every area of life.” That means we do not get to pick and choose what parts of our lives we want to allow God into if we want to walk in victory. Either we are all in, or we’re not.

Let’s forget about the spacecraft and the boat references now. It was fun, but this really is serious business. Time will continue to move forward whether we step up and walk the right path or not. I do not want to get to the end of my life and then look back only to wish that I had made the decision years ago to trust in God completely.

Living a fully surrendered life and walking with God is an amazing journey. If we will have the faith to take the first step, God will show us that we are on solid ground. We must continue to take each step even though we cannot see what is ahead. If we are walking with God, we can trust that we will always be on solid ground.

A good example of how faith works can be found in Joshua 3:14-17. The Israelites crossed the Jordan River on dry ground, but the water did not stop flowing until their feet touched the edge of the water. They had to take a step forward in faith, and God allowed them to cross on dry ground safely.

I understand that everyone who reads this may not believe the same thing that I do as a Christian. Still, I believe this message is for everyone. It does not matter to me what you believe. God didn’t put me here to judge. What I feel certain of is that as a human being, you have something deep within your soul that guides you. If you feel unfulfilled in life, get quiet and listen to it. Frequently. Whether it is God, the universe, or whatever you believe; simply listen, and allow it to guide you.

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