Today Morley talks to us about "Failure: A Six-Point Formula for Spiritual Failure." He actually walks through the process of failing. Watch out for the landmarks in his devotion. It is all too easy to find ourselves on a "spiritual off ramp" that takes away from the path that God has prepared for us.
In some ways, today's devotion reminds me of wrong turns I have taken when driving my car. On the way home, sometimes I have had an errand to run. Unfortunately, sometimes I have driven past my turn because I am operating in "auto pilot" mode. I'm driving just fine. I'm flowing with the traffic. I don't collide with anyone else. But my failure to be conscientious about my immediate purpose lets my natural routine carry me down the wrong road.
The funny thing about mistakes like this one is that on most days, this would be the right road. Even as I missed my turn, my normal route continued to look like the right way. But I forgot my errand. I forgot my purpose. I failed.
Isn't this like the mistakes that Morley described? In our spiritual lives, we find a "spiritual groove" and follow it, never stopping to think about the present mission that God has for us. Many times we are doing "good" things, but are they the right things? Knowing the answer to that question requires us to surrender our natural tendencies and our mistakes to God.
Dear Lord, I am on the pathway of life, little "l," a temporal existence. I want to be on the path of LIFE with a capital "L," the joyous and eternal Life that you alone can give. In seeking to do your will, let me know and remember that I need to pay attention to the mission that you have for me to do now-- that I need to pay attention to your guidance not just on Sundays, but day by day, hour by hour, and minute by minute. Including this minute. Amen.
Grace and peace--
CARadke