Going the Wrong Way

Have you ever been on a journey, a hike, a trek, anything … and realize you were going the wrong way? No? Yeah, me neither (Okay, maybe).

This week, I was called about someone had been taken to the ER … so I loaded into the FJ and headed west to General Hospital. 45 minutes later, I arrived and asked a few nurses and volunteers if the gentleman was there. They couldn’t find him. I tried several spelling variations. I gave his address. But he wasn’t there. Come to find out, he was at Southside – over an 1 hour in the opposite direction, to the east.

This isn’t the first time. I made a wrong turn coming out of Buccees and ended up going the wrong direction, adding about 30 minutes to the trip to Dallas. I made a wrong turn in Daniel Boone Forest and added miles and a few hours to my hike. I changed colleges seven times, including changing degrees seven times, before I went back to the institution I started. This caused a 3 semester delay in my undergraduate degree completion.

History is replete with illustrations of people going the wrong direction, making bad choices, being directed in the wrong direction.

Today, I ponder …. First, what are some possible positive results of going the wrong way. Second, what do you do if you find yourself going in the wrong directions? And Third, how do we deal with regrets.

FIRST … Positive Results … Oh there can be some.

This is not a promise of positive results, but the possibility. You might discover something new … a new view, a new place, a new path. You could meet new people, find new treasures, and discover something new about yourself … pushing yourself to new levels, exploring new skills, and more.

Edison went through hundreds of wrong decisions before the lightbulb was invented. Corn Flakes invented by mistake. Nestle’s Tollhouse was trying to make a chocolate dessert and invented Chocolate Chip Cookies, Now I like that wrong way discovery.

Another positive result, on the hospital road trip that went west instead of east, I got to spend more time with my wife … talking, undisturbed, us-time. And yes, that was a positive result.

SECOND … What to do if you find yourself going the wrong way.

Don’t get upset. Being emotionally distraught won’t help. Evaluate your position. Determine the best way to get back on the right track. It may something as simple as taking the next exit and get headed back in the right direction. This might me retracing what you did wrong, or maybe an angling and a recalculating of your path.

There is a Biblical principle at play here. The word is … REPENT. Repent means to turn back. Going in one direction and turn to go back in another direction. The principle applies that you turn FROM something and turn TO something,

We are turn form our ways, sinful ways, bad choices. Too often we want to what we want, but the heart is deceitful and wicked. SO we turn from our way and turn. To be a little more clear, we don’t really turn to something, we turn TO SOMEONE … we turn to Jesus. We make Him Lord, so we do life according to His way.

Learn Your lessons. Remember the mistakes so you don’t make them again. Maybe even share with others … warning them so they can learn from your mistakes. Yes, that means a little humility, maybe a lot of humility.

Lastly … How do you deal with regrets …

Regrets, I would guess we all have them. We feel bad about decisions, mistakes, errors. We sulk and sigh. We feel bad and become gun shy.

I did some web diving and came across a new (to me) website called Christian Guys. They had a pretty good outline on this topic …

• Seek Forgiveness (if needed). If the fault is yours, humbly seek forgiveness. 1 John 1:9
• Embrace Growth … let each step be toward the goal of glorifying God.
• Learn from Your Mistakes … God is the God of transformation and He can take your mistakes and make them opportunities to learn and to share with others.
• Move Forward to Hope …. Stay strong, your story isn’t over.

So … Going the wrong way? life’s not over.