Mid Course Correction

"With all my heart I want your blessings.

Be merciful as you promised.

I pondered the direction of my life,

and I turned to follow your laws."

...

"I used to wander off until you disciplined me;

but now I closely follow your word."

...

"My suffering was good for me,

for it taught me to pay attention to your decrees.

Your instructions are more valuable to me

than millions in gold and silver."

Psalm 119:58-59;67;71-72

Before I became a believer, my life was a mess. Perhaps it didn't seem like a mess when measured against the world's standards. In fact, it was probably a pretty normal life compared to most. Looking back now, I can see just how messed up I really was. My priorities were all wrong. My motives were selfish. I was focused on living for myself. I would like to say that when I became a Christian, this all instantly disappeared, but that wasn't the case. I still struggled with the sins of my past. I had a lot of growing up to do as a believer and I still do in many ways.

In my freshman year in college, I met a wonderful guy. He was handsome. He was kind. He was a Christian. We became fast friends and later that friendship developed into something more. This wonderful man talked with me about God and about Jesus Christ. We began attending church together. We began dating. Within 2 years of meeting, we were married. It was during our courtship that I realized that God loved me just as I was. I accepted Christ as my Lord and Savior for real.

It was tough to made a mid course correction after living a selfish, sinful life. It took a long time for me to grow up as a Christian, and I'm still not all grown up yet. I still fail. I still fall into sin. I am human and therefore am not perfect in any way, shape, or form. I am simply a sinner who is forgiven.

Making a mid course correction is hard. We might be right smack dab in the middle of a very sinful situation. We may feel that there is no other way out than to see it through. We elude ourselves into thinking, "Okay, this is the last time and then I'll stop!" Only we are so trapped by the sin that we are entangled in a vicious cycle. We may incorrectly believe that we are so far into a really bad situation or habit that there is no way God loves us or can help us. We may just give up and feel that we are a lost cause.

There is hope. There is help. God can and will rescue you. You can seek Him. He is there just waiting for you. No matter how deep you think you are in, God can pull you out. Don't push Him away. Allow Him to come in. He loves you so much that He sent His one and only Son to die in your place, to pay the price of your sin. (John 3:16) Call out to Him. Simply ask for His forgiveness and believe in Christ. Confess Jesus as your Lord and Savior today!

In His Love, Cathy