I do not know who wrote the following, or I would give them credit. Whoever wrote it addresses the struggles we encounter to be successful in life. They said, “The road to success is not straight. There is a curve called Failure, a loop called Confusion, speed bumps called Friends, red lights called Enemies, caution lights called Family, and flats called Jobs. But, if you have a spare called Determination, and engine called Perseverance, insurance called Faith, and a Driver called Jesus, you will make it to a place called Success.”
It was Andy Stanley who said, “In life, everybody winds up somewhere – a few people wind-up somewhere on purpose!” And let there be no mistake, success is a place you go “on purpose!”
In the Movie, “Alice in Wonderland,” Alice encounters a Cheshire Cat. Seeking direction, she magically engages the cat in conversation and asks him which way she should go. The cat asks her where she wants to go. She tells him it really does not matter. He replies, “Then it really does not matter which way you go.”
Successful people, successful businesses, and successful churches do not drift to success. Success is found at the end of a well-plotted course and a well-executed plan that includes room for evaluation and adjustments along the way.
One of the greatest detriments to the cause of Christianity today is well-intentioned, good-hearted people and congregations, whose faith is drifting. We have forgotten that quality always attracts, but mediocrity breeds indifference. Drifting causes the believer, whose faith was once a passion that burned cherry-red in his heart, to settle for mediocrity. Honest evaluation and adjustments are no longer made. Faith is no longer active and the “settled for” is what is “settled for.” Sadly, faith is adrift.
As the old saying states, “The Road to Hell is paved with Good Intentions.” However, it is not good enough to plot our life course. It is not good enough to be traveling our life path. To arrive at our destination requires honest evaluation and adjustments along the way.
If an airplane taking off in New York headed for Tel Aviv Israel drifts off course just one degree north for the duration of the flight, it will land in Saint Petersburg (Moscow) Russia, 1,644 miles off course. You see, it is not good enough to simply plot the course and be engaged in the journey. Why? Because there is this little thing called the jet stream that is constantly pushing against the airplane trying to push it off course. Consequently, somebody or some device inside the airplane must constantly be asking the question, “Where on planet earth is this plane right now?” Then they must take the answer, compare it to where they are supposed to be, and make the necessary course corrections. Sadly, it is easier to drift than make honest evaluations and course corrections.
Many reading this Pastor’s Column today, including me, have areas in our lives that are adrift. For some, it may be your faith. For others it may be a myriad of things ranging from marriage, careers, family life, finances, friendships, or ten thousand other things. And the strange part is, we are not necessarily adrift because we have plotted the course incorrectly, messed-up badly, or are not engaged in the journey. No! Drifting usually occurs because of two things. First, we forget that the devil’s ill-wind is constantly blowing against us trying to push us off course. Secondly, we fail to do an honest evaluation of where we are – compared to where we are seeking to go – and make the necessary course adjustments.
Drifting is a dangerous thing. However, the good news is that Jesus Christ encourages honest evaluation and allows course corrections.
Brother Aaron