Spiritual Alignment
I can recall a time in my mid-teens when I worked hard to purchase my first car. It wasn’t the latest or greatest sports car—but to me, it was everything. A 1978 Chevy Monza. This old Chevy had clearly seen better days, but under the hood was a massive engine someone had modified to fit the frame. It may not have looked like much, but it was fast and powerful—exactly what a 17-year-old thought he needed.
One day, I decided to test just how much torque I could push through those rear wheels. I slammed it into first gear and hit the gas. The engine responded with force—but the steering didn’t. I lost control, hit a curb hard, and immediately realized something was wrong. The drive home was nothing like the drive I had leaving from home. I had knocked the front end completely out of alignment and felt like I was in an arm-wrestling match with that chevy all the way back home.
The experience taught me something I didn’t understand at the time: power without control can be dangerous, especially when you’re out of alignment. Have you ever wrestled with being out of alignment with God? He’s placed a powerful engine—your gifts, your calling, your potential—within you. But He never intended for us to manage that power without His guidance. When we drift from Him, misapply our strength, or ignore His direction, we risk veering off course and doing damage we never intended.
God invites us to regularly return to Him—the Manufacturer of our very being—for maintenance, correction, and alignment. Like a skilled mechanic, He knows exactly what needs adjusting.
- Jonah was called to Nineveh, but his own preferences sent him sailing in the opposite direction. He was powerful in his calling, but misaligned with God’s mission. After the storm and time in the belly of the fish, he realigned himself with God’s will—and God still used him to bring revival (Jonah 1–3).
Maybe you’ve slammed into a few curbs in life—spiritually, emotionally, or relationally. Maybe you’ve burned rubber trying to prove something, leaving skid marks on the people around you. The good news is: God doesn’t throw you out just because you’re out of alignment. If you’ll return to Him, confess where you’ve gone off course, and submit to His adjustments, He promises restoration.
“If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” 1 John 1:9
“And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace… will Himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you.” 1 Peter 5:10
Stay aligned. Keep checking in with the One who built you. And let Him steer your powerful life in the direction of purpose, not destruction.