The Great Turn Around

We live such busy lives don’t we? If you look back at the years of your life, prior to the societal pause of Covid, what were your days like?

Prior to the lockdowns, my weekly schedule was so hectic that it felt like I was just going from one activity to the next. Being a family of 6, there were several schedules to maintain all under one roof. From dance classes to swimming lessons of different levels, homework assignments to school projects across different grades, each of our kids had something going on. By the end of any given day, my wife and I felt so spent that a Netflix binge watching session was a welcome method of decompressing.

Then came the Covid-19 pandemic. All of a sudden, our schedules came to a grinding halt. No more extracurricular classes. No more running around and feeling like I am always chasing time. No more hectic activity.

In the stillness of this season, without the consistent busyness of activity, some deep seated issues of my soul came to light.

Attitudes I’ve been harbouring… Toxic thought patterns that I’ve allowed to take root in my mind… Comfort zones I’ve created to prevent me from working out these areas of weakness… All these things were left unchecked and hidden by the seemingly endless list of to do’s and dizzying activity. (By no means am I saying that activities are wrong or bad. For me the issue was filling my life to the max with activity that it left me little time or space for self examination and spiritual growth.)

Wanna know how this all came to light? Well…

It started with exposure.

Like I said, I was harbouring a lot of toxic thoughts that led to extreme criticism of others around me. I was judgemental about people and the situations they were in. Whether it was their success or their failure in life, I was criticizing them in my heart. I had the belief that these thoughts didn’t actually affect my life, but they started to leak out in my words and actions. I didn’t even realize I was doing it.

One day, I was called out on it. A friend of mine called me out on my critical attitude towards another person. I didn’t even know I was being judgemental and critical until it was pointed out to me.

I felt exposed. Almost like I was standing naked in front of my friend.

The Great Turn Around starts with exposure. It’s crazy how you can be going down a path in life with the internal part of you completely unchecked. It’s so easy to veer off-course and start down a path of negativity, fear, pride, or judgement. You become so unaware of this, but make no mistake…

It is affecting your life.

Perhaps you are finding yourself feeling distant from your spouse or family members. Perhaps you are finding yourself self medicating a lot with any number of vices.

But then all of a sudden.

EXPOSURE.

It’s embarrassing.

But it’s a part of a process.

Think about King David in the bible. His exposure was a massive one. I mean, he actually got to a place in life, where he could justify taking another man’s wife and have him killed. It was as if he thought he could get away with having such deep seated issues in his soul that could bring him to the place of committing such sin.

But then the Prophet Nathan came and exposed his sin. David was made aware of his sin, and it broke him.

Awareness is the place of decision making. The direction you take is up to you.

You see, for David, although he committed a terrible sin, he knew the way he needed to go. He knew he had to turn around and go to God.

Psalm 51 is the expression of this awareness and turning. If this post is speaking to you at all, I would encourage you to read this Psalm. For me personally, it was an encouragement because I initially felt alone in my sin. But reading Psalm 51 and seeing David pour his heart out to God inspired me. He knew the love of God and he felt safe enough to turn around and go to him rather than run away and hide.

The love of God for us is so great that He will use this season to expose things in our lives so that we can become aware and turn.

The bible says in John 16:8 that The Holy Spirit convicts us of our sin. This conviction is to show us a better way. A better direction. That leads to freedom.

So are things being exposed in your life?

You’re not alone. In fact, there is a purpose to it. It’s not to kick you down and make you feel stuck. It’s actually the opposite. It’s to make you aware so that you can turn.

The Great Turn Around can start right now in your life. Behind you, you will find God the Father waiting with open arms to receive you, heal you, and set you free.

So… What are you waiting for?