Shooting Straight

Life is full of movement. Constantly turning, curving, and shifting. I recently learned something in a sixth-grade science class that relates to this movement. As an instructional assistant at a local middle school, I get to sit in classrooms with some amazing teachers that teach me as much as they are teaching their students. I’ve probably learned all this stuff before, but hello, it’s been a while.

Anyway, back to science class. Pay attention now and put on your listening ears. The lesson that day was on the Coriolis Effect. Ever heard of it? It was really interesting to me. A simple definition of this term is an apparent deflection of moving objects (like wind and ocean currents) caused by the Earth's rotation, making them curve to the right in the Northern Hemisphere and to the left in the Southern Hemisphere.

So, say you are at the North Pole, the wind can potentially blow straight but as the earth rotates it will seem to curve to the right.

This lesson, like several others our science teachers have taught, drew my mind into a comparison with life. Every day we strive to shoot straight at life. We can think we know exactly where we’re going, doing exactly what we want to be doing, checking items off our list of life goals, but God’s plan is moving in ways we cannot see.

A biblical concept for this would be God’s providence. Proverbs 16:9 is perfect for explaining this; “A person’s heart plans his way, but the Lord determines his steps.”

God’s ongoing movement and involvement in the life of a believer is pulling us towards what’s right for us, His purposes and plans. As much as we would assume that God’s changes would bring immediate gratification, I know from personal experiences that these gentle pulls can sometimes come wrapped in confusion, disappointment, or hurt.

To give an example, I’ve been in places where I thought I was supposed to be, as if I was there for the long haul. I was comfortable doing my everyday tasks. I thought I was moving forward, but truthfully, I was really stuck—only performing the day-to-day activities, trying to prove that I fit in. So, God in His perfect providence, orchestrated His twists and turns to get me to move in another direction. And while the moves seemed confusing at first, a 30,000-foot fly over would reveal how God took me from the once stuck pathway, to one that was protecting, prospering, and calling me to His purpose.

Today, if you feel like the winds of your life are blowing in ways you didn’t see coming—you thought you had it all figured out—trust that life’s curves could really be God’s Coriolis Effect.

His Word is full of promises we can lean on when life seems a little too curvy.

-              You planned evil against me; God planned it for good to bring about the present result – the survival of many people. Genesis 50:20

-              For I know the plans I have for you – this is Lord’s declaration – plans for your well-being, not for disaster, but to give you a future and a hope. Jeremiah 29:11

-              We know that all things work together for the good of those who love God, who are called according to His purpose. Romans 8:28

-              Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not rely on your own understanding; in all your ways know Him, and He will make your paths straight. Proverbs 3:5-6

-              Aren’t two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them falls to the ground without your Father’s consent. And even the hairs of your head have all been counted. So don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows. Matthew 10:29-31

-              For in Him we live and move and have our being. Act 17:28