Missteps

A couple of weeks ago I was walking along, minding my own business when I took a slight misstep and felt a painful popping in the back of my knee. On a pain scale of 1 to 10 with 10 being the worst, my pain was about a 14. A visit to Urgent Care discovered I had a cyst that ruptured causing the pain and the popping.

I spent the better part of these last two weeks either flat on my back or hobbling around with a giant knee brace and a pair of crutches. Having my normal routine greatly impaired and simple movement severely restricted has a way of making you reevaluate the simple things in life. Like showers, sleeping, climbing the stairs in your house and oh yes … going to the bathroom!

A girl can do a lot thinking when she’s forced to remain sedentary for an extended period of time. I suspect that may have been God’s intention all along. He’s good that way. Sometimes we women get crazy busy and pile too many things on our plates. We get pulled in many different directions and consequently we neglect the basics. (Oh wait … maybe that’s just me.)

I’m ashamed to admit I’ve been neglecting some basics lately. Housework (yuck, hate it!) My prayer time and my Scripture reading have felt like the Reader’s Digest Condensed Version lately. Even my own health needs have been pushed to the back burner. One little misstep brought reality crashing down and forced me to see the obvious.

In His infinite wisdom God’s been showing me how little missteps can lead to subtle changes in our walk with Him. What may seem minor and not really an issue may be a sign that we’re not walking on the path we’re supposed to be on. Nothing major, but things like blowing our witness by raising our voice to an innocent sales clerk or screaming at the traffic with the kids are in the car.

Maybe carrying a grudge with a loved one or going to bed angry because we don’t want to give in and say I’m sorry. Perhaps it’s even something like neglecting a volunteer job at church because we don’t feel like giving up our free time.

Missteps such as these may seem minor at first, but can quickly lead to a painful realization that we’re actually in danger of losing our footing altogether. Rather than waiting for God to arrange an unscheduled sabbatical in your life like he did with me, perhaps you may want to take stock of the basics in your life and check your footing. Are you still walking the straight and narrow or are you headed for a painful misstep that may cause you to fall flat on your face?

I’m pleased to report that after two weeks, my knee is healing nicely and my walk … well I still have a little hitch in my giddiup, but that’s just arthritis. My walk with Christ is feeling much more solid than it did a couple of weeks ago thanks to a little one-on-one time with God. He’s good that way.

17 Be on guard so that you will not be carried away by the errors of these wicked people and lose your own secure footing. 18 Rather, you must grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. 1 Peter 3:17-18 (NLT)

Blessings in Christ,
Kathy
www.kathleenkurlin.com