Do you know what it means to course correct? As I understand it, it is when an airplane is on autopilot and it is heading towards the destination. Every so often, it checks if it is on course and adjusts accordingly. Perhaps it is flying a bit east of it’s destination, so it redirects slightly west. And then it checks again after awhile and continues adjusting until the destination is reached.
I can’t help but think this is a good analogy for life. We get busy, zooming along and then something happens that makes us realize we need to course correct. Perhaps a goal changes or an opportunity comes along. We take each thing into consideration and then make adjustments to the best of our ability.
And that would seem to be the story of life, aside from God, it is always never the same. How can we gracefully navigate these course corrections? How do we keep pressing on without losing sight of our goals? More than that, how do we even determine what it is God needs us to do?
What Is The Goal?
How do we decide what God needs us to do? That would seem to be a million dollar question for many of us. True, we have a world full of options ahead of us, but how do you hone in on just what you are supposed to do?
The good news is, there are some pretty simple and direct steps you can take: 1) ask God for direction and, 2) lean in and do whatever is right in front of you. You don’t have to be a missionary at the ends of the earth in order to serve God, but rather do all that you do as unto God.
Just as important as asking God for direction, is the importance of you really believing that He can direct you where He needs you. If we ask with an unbelieving heart or with a heart full of worry or doubt, we’ll get nowhere. Think about it: if you ask and He directs, and your heart questions and worries (is this really God, is this really what I’m supposed to do, what if I don’t understand His leading, etc) that strikes me as the enemy distracting you.
But rather, if you lean in and ask and listen expectantly, expect Him to answer! We will never as humans understand God’s timeline, but I am confident that He always answers. As you sense His answer, take action. Knock on doors, pursue opportunities, examine possibilities. Again with the faith that if you follow His lead in the tiny things, He will guard you and direct you every step of the way. He is God and is perfectly capable of getting you where He needs you!
So don’t let fear of doing the wrong thing hold you back. I really think that fear is from the enemy, not from God. Step out in faith with the dream and hope that you are on the right path for Him! Not waiting for the entire plan and process, because God’s got those details, but secure in God knowing that we can take one step at a time while He builds the plan around us.
So all in all, what is the goal? Is it to accomplish a certain thing? I don’t really think so. Rather, the goal is to serve God with all our heart and soul and mind. To endure disappointments with a confident heart that He has better plans for us. And yes, perhaps – and even probably – that dream in your heart is right where He is taking you. But first, He wants you to surrender it to Him and lean into where He needs you here and now. So show up today with your best to bring glory to God. He’s got all your tomorrows and hopes and dreams well in hand!
Change Is A Good Thing
Change is a good thing. Can you read that and believe it? Or can you imagine changes in your life that could be good and amazing? Why as humans do we cringe at the thought of change? All things change and we are in control of nothing but our mind – so what if we asked God to help us to lean into the change He brings our way knowing that His master plan is better than we can hope or imagine?! Wow, when one words change like that, it is rather exciting, isn’t it?!
Changes bring next level things when we give our best and give our all for God. When we thoroughly and completely surrender whatever in life it is that we are vainly trying to cling to and let God take the lead, incredible things happen. Things better than we can hope or imagine!
Change in our life is just like that airplane that found it was headed too far west of its destination. Just imagine if things didn’t change in life. We’d miss so many blessings and adventures and opportunities to grow if God left us to our stubbornness!
I never would have learned to be a barista and have the fun of experimenting and trying new things. I never would have learned to think quickly on my feet to make sure the customer understood the options they had and help numerous people decide just what they wanted to drink. Embracing change is what brought me here – not following my human plans.
And not at all surprisingly, it would seem things are changing again, who knows where God will place me next? But I am confident that if I just do the next thing in front of me and knock on each door the next thing will make itself apparent. I believe with every ounce of my being that God knows how to direct me where He needs me!
Course Correct
And that leads me to an activity I am going to do and I wanted to suggest you try it too. Simply put: make a list of your beliefs. Sometimes I think life can be too consuming and demanding and we lose sight of who God says He is and what He says He’ll do. But if we had a list that we could read over and over and meditate on, that would strengthen our faith!
I was reading a book and the author was saying that people often made the mistake of not believing that God would do what He said He would do. And as I reflected, I realized the unknowns in life that made my mind cloudy. How much better to meditate and claim all that God says He will do and all He says He is!
So I am going to sit and pause and pray and ask God to help me make this list. I’m going to consider my worries and fears just long enough to determine what God says about them and then add God’s take to my list. He is quite literally the everything good and wonderful to my lack and concern. It is time to course correct, strengthen my faith, make some changes and remember the ultimate goal of serving God first and foremost!
What is your list going to say?
Until Next Time!
Hope.
PS. Keep reading: https://www.theamericanlady.com/2025/03/12/be-strong-and-courageous/