Through free will, God lovingly allows us to choose our own path. He doesn't force us to walk on the right path, but He always makes Himself available to get us back on the right path if we veer off. The amazing thing is every day starts anew, and we get to hit the reset button. The question is where are we going to reset ourselves? In Pilgrim's Progress, written by John Bunyan from 1678-1684, the lead character, Christian, is on the right path but it is becoming more difficult. At Christian's encouragement, he and his travelling companion, Hopeful, take an easier route, through By-path Meadow. Initially the paths are very close only slowly diverging. But over time, lost and caught in a storm they find their way into Doubting Castle. After being beaten and imprisoned by the Giant Despair, Christian remembers to hit the reset button, using the key called Promise in order to escape and get back on the right path. When Jesus died and rose again, he opened the correct path for all who were willing to follow, but unfortunately most never enter the correct path, and some start on it but choose to follow the word of man rather than the word of God to get themselves back on. We read in John 12:42-43, "Nevertheless even among the rulers many believed in Him, but because of the Pharisees they did not confess Him, lest they should be put out of the synagogue; for they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God." Many knew exactly who Jesus was and the path He was directing them to, but these men led the people onto the wrong path. When the Jewish people found themselves slowly going off the right path of the Word of God, they as many of us do, turned instead to the authorities and stumbled down the wrong path of the word of man.

We read in Proverbs 1:7, "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, But fools despise wisdom and instruction." This is the launching pad for the right path. It all comes down to seeking the One True God. It is not now, nor ever has been, all roads lead to the same destination. That is a perverse lie that sounds so open-minded, but is completely false. Throughout the book of Proverbs, Solomon will refer to only two paths. We read in 2:8-9, "He guards the paths of justice, And preserves the way of His saints. Then you will understand righteousness and justice, Equity and every good path.” "Discretion will preserve you; Understanding will keep you, To deliver you from the way of evil, From the man who speaks perverse things, From those who leave the paths of uprightness To walk in the ways of darkness;" We read in Job 42:7, "And so it was, after the Lord had spoken these words to Job, that the Lord said to Eliphaz the Temanite, "My wrath is aroused against you and your two friends, for you have not spoken of Me what is right, as My servant Job has." Eliphaz took a little from "Column A" which was God, along with a little from "Column B", which was his own wisdom and was trying to lead Job down the wrong path, wrongly characterizing God in the process. We should all memorize Proverbs 3:5-6, and not miss the word, "all", "Trust in the Lord with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths."

So many, in fact the majority are walking aimlessly along one of many wrong paths. The wrong paths might be religion, human philosophy, etc. I am amazed how many raised in some Christian denomination tell me how they know that their denominations along with their leaders are going in the wrong direction, but who continue to follow these leaders down the wrong path. If a church begins to move in a direction other than from the Word of God, it would be time to talk to them about it or leave. We don't get to come before Jesus at judgement collectively. Each of us will bow our knee before Him. Directing our Savior's attention to anyone else as the reason for walking along the wrong path will be no excuse whatsoever. If we do not start our days in His Word, in prayer, seeking Him, then all of us are prone to take that slight 1 degree move onto the wrong path. Over time, we will not even recognize where we went. But God is not going anywhere, if we only turn to Him, our reset button is available, and the correct path will become apparent.