Losing One's Way

In all thy ways acknowledge

Him, and He shall direct

thy paths.

Proverbs 3:6

Still in my single years and with a new car, I decided to take a vacation by myself to the Smoky Mountains, where I now live. I had a great road atlas (that dates me) that I glanced at on occasion. I was pretty sure of myself so didn't feel the need to keep my nose glued to it. The trip would hardly take a day and I so looked forward to just getting away by myself. I still recall passing motels along the way in Tennessee and I smile now. Many of them were only $5.00 per night. That was more than I could spend so looked for the $3.00 ones.

The drive was beautiful as I thought it would be. I took my time driving, not in a hurry to get where I was going. I just wanted to take in everything around me including the beautiful sunshine that never seemed to hide even in any shadows.

I was doing quite well. I knew I had to go straight east on the highway to get where I was going. I decided I would like to see some back country so took an exit and found myself on a state route. I kept heading east enjoying the quaintness of the back country. However, after a time, it dawned on me to check my gas gauge and wouldn't you know, I was running low on gas. I had been on the road for close to an hour and to my remembrance, I hadn't seen a gas station. Finally I came to one that had one gas pump and an old man leaning back in a chair against a torn up building. He sauntered over to the car, put gas in the car. After paying him, he asked where I was headed and I told him. He let me know that I was going the wrong direction. Panic rose up in me like a geyser from Yellowstone, but pride told me to act like all was well so I lied to him indicating that I was just looking for a gas station.

Despite his warning, I got back on the same state road and headed in the same direction...the wrong direction according to the gas station man. I wasn't even passing through any little towns so couldn't tell anything on my road maps. I was panic-stricken. I couldn't tell you to this day where all I wandered until I got back on that main road I had turned off of. By the way, I had almost used up that tank of gas I had purchased from that old man. I didn't get to the mountains until very late that night and by then, had to pay $5.00 for a room. Let me tell you that on my way back home, I stayed on the right road, checking my road map often even if I felt I didn't need to.

On that trip, there were several mistakes I made that caused me great tension despite the fact that I was on a supposedly relaxing vacation. What are some things that led to the nightmare of that day?

1. I had a road atlas but failed to refer to it before launching out into unknown country roads.
2. Despite a man's correction, I refused to listen to someone who knew the roads.
3. Curiosity took me in the wrong direction.
4. Staying on the time-tested road to my destination had become boring.
5. I didn't watch for signs that would have given me information. I can't recall even thinking about directional signs.
6. I kept driving despite the fact that I knew I was lost. All the driving in the world wasn't going to put me back on the right road without help. Pride told me I knew what I was doing.
   

I WAS LOST!!!

There is a real tragedy though for one to lose her way spiritually, and difficult for friends and family to watch it happening. I have never met a Christian who lost their spiritual way who did it deliberately. It happens usually in increments...little by little. Friends may caution and even try to intervene in some way to be of help to an erring one. Their counsel usually goes for nought and it may take something life shaking to wake up an spiritually drifting person.

When one loses her way, amazingly it happens when on the right road. That may sound ridiculous but it's true. It can begin when a Christian becomes distracted or even bored with her spiritual walk. Some may try a church that sounds more exciting than one's own church. This is just one example of one trying something new to perk up enthusiasm. Wrong friends (yes, even in a church setting) can be a means of taking the wrong ramp from that straight and narrow way that we are meant to travel on.

Usually by this time, any council or advice of a spiritual friend is shunned because pride has set in. By now, forget the atlas of life, the Word of God. "Drive on" may be the motto with great anticipation as one continues on the wrong road. By now, that Christian is well aware that she has lost her way. Unfortunately, not heeding correction at this point may be very costly,

One thing I love about God's Word is that He has chosen to share with us the mistakes and warts on the lives of some of our most beloved persons in Scripture. Many erred, wandered and lost their ways just like we are prone to do, but God also shares their return to the right way. David, the man after God's own heart really messed up big time. Moses didn't obey God in something like getting water from a rock. Peter denied his Lord. The prodical son got lost in the world but returned to the favor of his father. Abraham lied but still became the spiritual father of a nation. In every instance, each got back on the right road and was greatly used of God.

When we stray, there may be consequences to pay for it, but it is so worth the return to right relationship with God. The caution is for all of us to watch the signs of our becoming bored and stale in our spiritual walk. It may mean gulping pride and talking to someone about it. It definitely means taking it to the Lord in prayer and ridding ourselves of distractions that would cause us to drift. If we have ever had an erring child, we might be able to feel just a little of how God feels when His children lose their ways. His loving, forgiving arms are always open no matter who we are. Hopefully, lessons have been learned from losing one's way and that person's faith becomes stronger and love for the Lord deeper than ever before.

In Proverbs 3...verse 7, there are three good points of advice for us all:

Be not wise in thine own eyes:

fear the Lord,

and depart from evil.

Dear Father...through Your sweet Holy Spirit keep me alert to those things that would pull me from You onto a way I should shun. I never want to lose my spiritual way and pray for Your strength and leadership in my life like I've never known it before. In Jesus precious name...Amen.