RE:CALCULATINGSample

Day 4: Wisdom That Will Keep You on Track

In our last lesson, we explored the primary ways God confirms His direction and will for our lives through the voice of the Bible and the Holy Spirit. Each serves as a witness, affirming the Holy Spirit’s true leading, as Second Corinthians 13:1 states, “...In the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word be established.”

To help evaluate your current position and determine how to align with the Holy Spirit’s guidance, consider these key points.

The first step is to REMEMBER the original leading God gave you. Clarify in your heart and mind what you believe the Holy Spirit was leading you to do. Keeping this in remembrance is crucial. Proverbs 29:18 confirms this by saying, “Where there is no vision, the people perish….” When you stray from the direction God was leading you, it causes you to wander aimlessly, which is why it’s so important to regularly remind yourself of what God first put on your heart.

Habakkuk 2:2 says, “...Write the vision, and make it plain upon tables, that he may run that readeth it.” Whatever you feel like the Holy Spirit has spoken something to you, write it down. When you write something down, it helps reveal any gaps in your understanding. In some cases, having someone else read the vision to see if they understand it can be helpful. If you can’t read it and run with it, you need to pause, pray, and ask God for clarification. The Bible says in James 1:5 (NIV), “If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.”

Have you stayed in line with the original instruction God gave you? Have you deviated from His plan to go in another direction? If you sense you’ve gotten off track, go back to the original instruction you received and ask the Lord to refresh the memory of what He told you. With His instruction clearly before you, you’re ready to take the second step.

The second step is to REVIEW your journey, assessing your current standing and how you got there. This will help you determine how far off track you are and what you need to do to get back to where you’re supposed to be. Although this can sometimes be a very painful process, it’s necessary to recalculate and get back on track.

It’s wise to review your progress to check if you’re on the right track to get where you’re supposed to be. A review helps you see if you’re keeping up or falling behind in your obedience to the instruction God gave you for your family, your personal goals, your ministry, or your dream. Scripture tells us in Proverbs 24:3,4 (TLB), “Any enterprise is built by wise planning, becomes strong through common sense, and profits wonderfully by keeping abreast of the facts.”

Staying ignorant of the facts is the fastest way to get off track, but if you keep abreast of the facts, you profit wonderfully and know exactly how much progress you’ve made. If you’re going in the wrong direction, you’ll never reach your destination. The only way you can get back on track is to admit you haven’t been doing what God told you to do and repent for any deviation you’ve made from His instructions. Take the necessary steps to return to what God first told you to do. If you sense the Lord leading you to make a revision or sharpen your understanding in a way that changes your outlook, it’s time to revise your plan and get back on track!

Saying you want to get back on track and actually doing it are two different things. In many cases, the spirit is willing but the flesh is weak. The fact is getting back on track may require you to change. In addition to humbling yourself and admitting you were wrong, you may also have to restructure your financial priorities, reorganize personal assignments, reprioritize your relationships, and restructure your time management.

When you put your trust in the Lord and reject the pride of thinking you can figure things out on your own, He will direct your life. As a child of God, you are good and declared righteous in Christ Jesus (see 2 Corinthians 5:21). Therefore, you can claim the promise of God to order your steps!

Friend, if you feel you’ve gotten off track, don’t beat yourself up about it. Simply acknowledge it and embrace God’s correction. Ask Him to expose your missteps and willingly implement necessary changes to regain alignment.

Question to Consider:

Our current understanding is incomplete compared to what it will be when we meet Jesus face-to-face (see 1 Corinthians 13:9,12). Until then, we may make mistakes and missteps, lacking full comprehension of the present. How does this biblical truth help promote peace and reduce pressure in your life?