The problem is that when you set your course without regard to the prevailing winds , you might think your heading will stay with the compass , but you will be surprised to find that your path over the ground is actually going Northeast ! And this can literally blow you miles and miles off course . In order to compensate for the wind , a pilot needs to factor in a correction angle based on the strength and direction of the wind at a certain altitude .
As we depart from the month of Elul and enter the High Holiday season , I encourage you to engage in the work of introspective evaluation . Has the Holy Spirit been convicting you in an area that needs to change ? Have other people who love you , such as friends and family members , pointed out areas for you to work on ? Or are there specific individuals that come to mind that you need to forgive , or ask them for forgiveness ?
Here are a few steps you can take though the coming month to make meaningful course corrections .
Recognize that You Are Off Course
Adonai lovingly notifies us in many ways and at various times that we are not moving along with Him , or even living in opposition to His ways . Do you quickly pay attention to the warning signs and get to the root problem , or do you ignore these warnings , hoping things will just get better ?
Unfortunately , ignoring the signs that our relationship with God is strained eventually leads to a callous heart . This may even sever the lines of communication with God completely — that is , until we make the effort to restore them . But how ?
We live in a culture with a strong aversion to apology . Whether it is a traffic violation or an affair that destroys a marriage , admitting guilt is so difficult for most people to do . Judge Judy or other judge shows painfully reveal the lengths that guilty parties will go to avoid taking the blame for their actions and confessing their behavior .
The world teaches us to suppress our guilt , but we need to be set free from our guilt through the process of humble confession .
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