Have you wandered south?

“My dear brothers and sisters, if anyone among you wanders away from the truth and is brought back again, you can be sure that the one who brings that person back will save the sinner from death and bring about the forgiveness of many sins.” James 5:19-20


I can tell you that growing up I was not always the best child. I would like to say throughout my high school years I was good, but when I went to college and did not have the daily guidance of my parent’s things went a little south. My doing!

While living in the south for awhile I did some pretty stupid things all of which left my family broken including me. However, what probably felt like centuries to my family and me was only a season that did come to pass but only by the grace of God. I can tell you that while living in the south I was taught some very important lessons.

One, I figured out that I determine the outcome how I live my life and it can either be pleasing my flesh, of which I did, or it can be pleasing my heavenly and earthly parents. Two, every choice that I made affected not only me but everyone involved. Because I was so caught up in the sins I was living in I was too blind and stubborn to see it at the time. To see now the hurt I put those people who loved me through was and is something I never want to do again. No matter how old I am. Third, to actually think that I could throw God into the mix of my sinfulness and try to convince everyone that what I was doing was okay was absurd. I mean who was I to think I could straddle both God and the world? Fourth, not only did God remove the veil, but He opened my eyes to see the path of destruction I was going down and the consequences if I kept going. He showed me how much I was loved by my earthly parents I how much I was loved by Him. It was then and there after hitting rock bottom that I realized my need to repent and run to God and I mean run not walk, run!

In Proverbs 22:6, “Teach your children to choose the right path, and when they are older, they will remain upon it.” I was taught the right path and had two examples that lived out that right path of living before me everyday. And though I veered off that path for a while I did return and I returned a lot wiser, more hungry, and driven to help others get back on the path.

Do you know what helped me the most throughout this period in my life? The prayers my family lifted up on my behalf, the love that they showed even if it was tough love, the support and the times they knew they needed to step back and let God deal with me.

Do you have people in your life who have wandered away; maybe you have wandered from the truth? Maybe you are living in the south like I did and are thinking to yourself that what you are doing is okay, maybe Satan has you blinded folded and you can’t see the hurt you are causing yourself, your family and God. Maybe Satan even has you so convinced that God is okay with your decisions when you know deep down and when you read His word that He is not okay with it. As a matter of fact you don’t even want to read the word of God because you don’t want to hear that what you are doing is wrong and you need to stop. I went through that and believe me the Creator of this universe knows a lot more than we do and He determines the outcome.

To my families and parents who are living in this season right now, pray, pray until it hurts. Don’t blame yourselves and wonder where you went wrong, just pray, give your burdens to the Lord, give the brokenness of your hearts to the Lord. Show love to these people even if it is tough love and even if your heart hurts. Get into the word of God and look steadily into His perfect law and let Him tell you when to act or when to step back and let Him deal with them. Do not abandon them, give up on them, or mistreat them. Jesus never did that to you and you should never do that to your child or your loved ones.

Never discipline them out of frustration or anger, don’t let bitterness take root within you, and DO NOT ever question or curse God. He is the only one who can help.

We have too many quitters in the world, don’t be one of them. Don’t have the mindset that these people can’t be saved or return. There is nothing impossible to the Great Jehovah. You are the hands and feet of Jesus let them see and feel that. Don’t try and handle the situation yourself, you will never succeed. You just be God’s helper and do what He says. Don’t be their enabler because you think that kind of love will help them.

Stay hopeful and joyful because out of this season will come something greater than you would ever have imagined. Look forward to that, look forward to each day knowing that God is working in their lives and in your life.

Prayer: Lord there are so many broken hearts today and so many tired and weary parents. Lord show them Your amazing love and let them feel the warmth of Your embrace today. Bring hope, healing and restoration to the hearts and homes of all these people. Most of all Lord let them find rest in knowing that You are at work within the lives of those who have wandered. Amen