Wrong Turns | Crosstraining 5.1.15

Matthew 5:27-28 A few years ago, I lived in Russell. Since I worked in South Point, went to school in Ironton, and spent time at the Y in Ashland, I always had a pretty good amount of driving each day. I hate driving, so I always looked for little ways to shave off time getting back and forth to the house. One day, I was looking for a shortcut and took a wrong turn. I don’t have the greatest navigational skills, so, as I continued trying to find my way instead of turning around and going back, I had gotten lost. There was no cell phone service, and I had no clue where I was. It took me nearly 20 minutes before I had gotten myself back on track. All it takes is one wrong turn to get on the wrong track and become lost. I can’t even count the amount of people I have talked to who have found themselves in tough situations in their life that could be traced back to one bad decision they had made at some point in the past. Sometimes it’s a series of small wrong turns that lead to someone’s downfall and other times it’s one serious misstep that sends someone’s life out of whack. Marriage is no different. We face hundreds of decisions each day about how we treat our spouse. From whether we are going to serve them in ways they will appreciate to how we honor them even when we aren’t around. All those little decisions you make each day affects your marriage whether you realize it or not. God warns us to be extra careful with what turns we make when it comes to our relationships. Whether it’s a series of small wrong turns such as taking your spouse for granted or becoming apathetic or a big misstep like sleeping with someone who isn’t your spouse, God takes all of those steps serious because He knows that any of them can be what sends our relationship reeling. Do everything in your power to stay on the right track in your marriage, and, if you’ve veered off track, do everything you can to find your way back. // TWO-A-DAYS // GO A LITTLE FARTHER WITH YOUR DAILY DEVOTIONS // Go through these questions with your spouse, kids, or friend, or you can even journal about the answers to these questions:

1. What was the best part of your day?
2. What was the toughest part of your day?
3. Where did you mess up today?
4. Where did you see God today?

Reflect: Marriages don’t typically fall apart overnight. It’s usually a process. If you’re married, what are some little things you can start doing right now to make your marriage better? If you’re not married, what are some things you can be doing right now to better prepare for your future relationship? Pray: Talk to God today about how you can be better in your most important relationships including spouse, kids, family, friends, etc. Ask God what some specific things you can do to show them that you care about them and God does, too. READ THROUGH THE NEW TESTAMENT: Today’s Reading: Matthew 17]]>