When we wander astray: Finding our way back to God
By Jessica Brodie
“Yet my people have forgotten me; they have offered sacrifices to a lie. And so they have stumbled along the way, even along the ancient paths. They have taken side roads, not the main roads.”—Jeremiah 18:15 CEB
Sometimes life is easy and our steps are sure. The path is clear and we know what is expected of us. It’s a good feeling, isn’t it?
Other times, it’s like a massive fog has suddenly settled over the day, obscuring our course. Instead of a surefooted stride, we tiptoe along the path, then falter. Perhaps we pause, wondering if this is even the right path at all, whether we took a wrong turn somewhere. We cannot see the way. Instead of plodding through, we freeze.
Or maybe we see the destination and decide the foggy, arduous path isn’t the way to take, after all. We take the shortcut, what appears to be the easy route, only to arrive at the wrong time, or in the wrong spot.
We’ve veered off-course and we’re stuck in the mud, paralyzed.
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That’s what comes to mind when I read God’s word to His prophet, Jeremiah. In Jeremiah 18, God vents His anger and frustration about His people, Israel, who once worshipped and adored Him, who honored His might and His gifts and grace with love, respect, and gratitude. They feared and praised God when He brought them out of the wilderness and into the abundant land He’d promised them.
Then time passed, and the people grew bored, or just forgot. They turned to other gods, other faiths. They wandered off His path and stopped following His commands.
God lamented to Jeremiah, “Yet my people have forgotten me; they have offered sacrifices to a lie. And so they have stumbled along the way, even along the ancient paths. They have taken side roads, not the main roads” (Jeremiah 18:15 CEB).
If they don’t get back on the main road, God warns, He’ll bring great punishment. But if they listen to His voice and remember, if they stop their nonsense on the “side roads” and get back on the path God has carved for them, He’ll forgive their mistakes and transgressions and bless them abundantly.
Today, it’s much the same. God has a plan for us. Maybe we know the plan outright, or sense His guiding, and we follow the course for a while. But then things happen—temptation turns our gaze, or doubt. The side roads seem more appealing. We stumble into the lie.
But take heart: It’s not too late. We’re never too far off course to come back to God.
We have some choices, and they’re all about pushing aside our foolish pride to let the Great Navigator of the universe take control. We can look for the main road and make our way back there, or we can cry out to God and ask Him to lead us back—either way, it comes down to deciding God’s way is the right way.
All other roads lead astray.
Whether you are feeling off-course because you know you’ve taken a wrong turn, or whether a fog has settled over your life and you can no longer see the path, it’s OK. Just look up, ask God to guide you, and He’ll do the rest.
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