Write Your Way Closer to Godنموونە

Staying On Course

The space shuttle is off-course 99 percent of the time. Computers continually have to trigger the rockets to fire in order to make small adjustments and keep the spacecraft headed toward its destination. I thought of how navigating the space shuttle is not unlike navigating our lives. My husband learned this same principle as an Eagle Scout. Growing up, he spent many hours canoeing the lakes of the Pacific Northwest. He likens the regular rhythm of pausing in our lives to reflect on our goals and assess our direction to the J stroke he learned as a Boy Scout. If two people paddle a canoe, even if they are paddling on opposite sides of the boat, the leverage of the person in the stern is stronger, causing the canoe to go around in circles. That is why it is impossible to keep the canoe heading straight across the lake—unless you use the J stroke.

It’s the J stroke that momentarily uses the paddle as a rudder to pull the canoe back in line. This redirection involves looking at the canoe’s current direction, looking at the landmark where you are headed, and using the J stroke to make the necessary adjustment to realign the canoe with the goal. The only time we are on course is during that 1 percent of the time when we are crossing center on our way to being off-course once again. We need regular J strokes to get realigned.

A regular time for realigning our activities with our goals is valuable for us if we hope to reach the intended destination. Looking back on our previous week and looking forward to the week ahead, remembering the bigger picture and what we hope to accomplish in our lives helps us to stay aligned. It can also be a time when we pat ourselves on the back and say, “Good job.” No one else may recognize our efforts, and others may take the credit for our ideas and the good things we’ve contributed. By affirming ourselves, we can do our good works in secret and look forward to the applause of God in eternity (Matthew 6:1-4). All of this happens for me as I write reflectively in my journal.

Can you find thirty minutes this week when you can reflect on your previous week and your goals, and with the Holy Spirit’s guidance, discern what adjustments you’d like to make?