Over the years I have had many opportunities to watch the power of correction in lives. My own early life was simply an example of a man who had so little trust for others, so much pride for being right that there was little any one could do to help me or bring correction to my life.

Being the news junkie I am I have followed with interest the mystery of Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 and its inability to be found after over a week. I have heard and/or read every theory out there on its disappearance and where it might be. At this point the plane is believed to be in a new area hours away from where first thought. As I have watched this mystery and tragedy unfold, there is one thing that has stuck out to me. The original area looked in was “the size of a chess board” and has now “moved to the size of a football field”. Imagine that you are looking for something on a “chess board” and now your search area (For the same size item is now on a “football” field.) This plane was clearly off course. The new area to be searched is over 6 times the size of the United States.

Now I understand that most theories are centered on hijacking, terrorism and intentional diversion. But what about the enemies of your mind? The hurt, the pain, the evil that is working as a “domestic terrorist” to get you off course. Most of our “enemies” are not foreign but living in our minds.

In the last month or so I have witnessed people I know, and some of them very closely, making tremendously bad decisions and when correction is offered (I am not talking about heavy handed correction, but the “wounds” of a friend. Proverbs 27:6) there choice is to reject it.

Honestly, it used to make me “mad” but now it just saddens me.

Why? Because there life and the opportunities to resolve issues went from a “chess board to a football field”, getting lost in areas uncharted, unmanned and perhaps even undesirable.

Our response to things out of hurt and pain will certainly get us somewhere, but not necessarily where I or you want to go. I remember many a years ago after we started a church fellowship a young man not being happy with what I said. He got in his car and showered gravel as he spun out of my driveway only to drive over the river bank. Humiliating as that was, 20 years later there are no changes.

If we are honest and looking at those who are “making” it we can see that they most often are defeating the “domestic” terrorism of fear and hurt. Overcoming the externals with a truth understanding of their identity in Him. Recognizing the depth of the love of the Father, even when it may not feel that way.

Moses wandered in the desert. Never more than a few days journey to the promised land over the 40 years in the wilderness, they had to be able to “see” it from time to time. But they had allowed domestic terrorism of fear and grumbling to allow them only to see the issues of foreign terrorism in the land in the form of giants. They went around “the mountain” a time or two.

One person I have worked with over the last 20 years just allowed “injustice” and fear to hang him out on the clothesline again. The symptoms are easy to watch. A puffed up sense of self begins to point fingers while not accepting responsibility for one’s own actions. Unfortunately, I sense another time around the mountain unless he can heed to loving counsel and correction.

Paul had young man in the church in sexual immorality. (1 Corinthians 5:1-6) I don’t want to believe what I am hearing—that there is sexual sin among you. And it is such a bad kind of sexual sin that even those who have never known God don’t allow it. People say that a man there has his father’s wife. 2And still you are proud of yourselves! You should have been filled with sadness. And the man who committed that sin should be put out of your group. 3I cannot be there with you in person, but I am with you in spirit. And I have already judged the man who did this. I judged him the same as I would if I were really there. 4Come together in the name of our Lord Jesus. I will be with you in spirit, and you will have the power of our Lord Jesus with you. 5Then turn this man over to Satan. His sinful self[a] has to be destroyed so that his spirit will be saved on the day when the Lord comes again.

He later addresses the man in 2 Corinthians 2:5-8. 5Someone in your group has caused sadness—not to me, but to all of you. I mean he has caused sadness to all in some way. (I don’t want to make it sound worse than it really is.) 6The punishment that most of your group gave him is enough for him. 7But now you should forgive him and encourage him. This will keep him from having too much sadness and giving up completely. 8So I beg you to show him that you love him.

God does not correct because He is mad, but because He isn’t! His way is to love you. To never leave or forsake you!

Do not get lost because you are hurt or wounded but begin to trust God and those He has put in your life to walk with you.

Do you realize if you were only 1° off (There are 360 degrees in a circle.) at the distance of 1 kilometer (5/8^th of mile) out, you would be off over 17 meters? That is over 50 feet away! Direction is important. Keeping it more so. Correction is not cumbersome or religious. It is critical!

I am not suggesting on any level God will not love you or challenging your salvation. I am suggesting that quality of life may well be forsaken in the process. Who wants to be lost?!?!?!? Do not adapt and allow the enemy of darkness to win in your life.

I had to turn my hurt and my pride away and not let them enter my borders. Terrorism is terrorism. In my own life I am “pretty intuitive” but when my mind allows pains and hurts to put me off course so goes my intuition and discernment. I must stay on course. And I am thankful for the “wounds of friends” in my life. Thankful for what has “seemed hard” at the time. Thankful for those who have “steered” me towards my destiny. I know I am “on the palm of God” but that is a very large hand!

Let us begin to allow for the people of God to be who they are called to be. Don’t settle. Correct your course. And realize that course correcting sometimes means doing things you don’t love for a time to earn the right to do the things you do love later on.