Course Correction

Ever hear of the 1 in 60 rule? For every 1 degree a plane veers off its course, it misses its destination by 1 mile for every 60 miles flown. Multiply that by the hundreds or thousands of miles in a typical flight and this slight and seemingly trivial one-degree error can have disastrous results. 

Life, with its twists and turns can easily throw us off track. Disappointments, busy schedules, health issues, soured relationships, situations that make us falter in our identity, question our calling — these can all move the dial on our lives. We may not even notice the variation — that minor degree to the left or the right — but if not caught in time, it can land us in predicaments that God never intended.

We usually know when we’re off course. We may not be able to put a finger on it, but somehow, deep inside, we know something’s off. Something’s not right. There’s a sinking feeling in your gut that something’s wrong.

We often think of correction as something to be avoided, like the kid who runs and hides after hitting a ball through a window. But correction can save us, like the expert navigator warning us we’ve got to course correct NOW or we’ll slam into a mountain ahead. 

God’s correction can be just a nudge. A still small voice, a gently guiding hand, a way of escape when we’ve unwittingly taken a wrong turn. It’s that “aha!” moment — the epiphany moment — when you finally, really see.

You’ll miss it if you’re too wrapped up in yourself to catch it.

But if you catch it, all of a sudden, the way is clear. My heart is checked and I can see where I got off course, where I took a wrong turn or where the winds of life blew me off track. I can adjust. I can make the necessary changes to reach my God-given destination. 

Correction is not something to be feared, but rather welcomed. Correction can be our lifesaving grace from a loving Father. 

“And your ears shall hear a word behind you saying, ‘This is the way, walk in it,’ when you turn to the right or when you turn to the left.” (Isaiah 30:21, ESV)