Small Choices, Big Consequences: The Path to God

Devotional

Day 1: Do Not Deviate from God’s Course

God has set a clear path for each of us, and even the smallest deviation from His instructions can lead us far from His intended destination. Just as a plane off by only two degrees can end up hundreds of miles from its target, so too can small compromises in our faith and obedience lead us away from God’s best. The world may say “close enough” is good enough, but God calls us to follow His Word fully, not turning to the right or to the left. Staying on course requires courage, strength, and a commitment to obey all that He has commanded, trusting that His way leads to true prosperity and purpose. [04:41]

Joshua 1:7 (NKJV)
"Only be strong and very courageous, that you may observe to do according to all the law which Moses My servant commanded you; do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may prosper wherever you go."

Reflection: What is one area in your life where you’ve been tempted to say “close enough” to God’s standards? What would it look like to fully align with His course today?

Day 2: Trust God’s Understanding, Not Your Own

When we rely on our own wisdom and understanding, we are prone to set our own course and drift away from God’s plan. True direction comes from trusting the Lord with all our heart, refusing to lean on our limited perspective, and acknowledging Him in every decision. God promises to direct our paths when we surrender our understanding and let Him lead, but this requires humility and a willingness to let go of control. [13:11]

Proverbs 3:5-6 (NKJV)
"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."

Reflection: Where are you relying on your own understanding instead of seeking God’s direction? How can you intentionally acknowledge Him in your decisions today?

Day 3: Repentance Instantly Restores Us to God’s Path

No matter how far we have strayed, true repentance brings us back to God’s course immediately. While the world says the longer you’re off course, the harder it is to return, with God, a humble heart and sincere repentance bring instant restoration. Repentance is more than just saying “I’m sorry”—it’s a turning away from what led us astray and a commitment to walk in God’s ways. God is ready to heal, restore, and guide us the moment we turn back to Him. [16:41]

2 Chronicles 7:14 (NKJV)
"If My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land."

Reflection: Is there something you need to sincerely repent of today? What step can you take right now to turn away from it and return to God’s path?

Day 4: God’s Plans Remain Even When We’ve Deviated

Even when we have wandered far from God’s instructions, His plans for us remain—plans for hope and a future. The Israelites received God’s promise of restoration while they were in captivity, a consequence of their long-term disobedience. Yet, God’s faithfulness endures, and He invites us to trust Him, rest in His promises, and believe that He can redeem our story no matter how far we’ve gone. [14:23]

Jeremiah 29:11 (NKJV)
"For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope."

Reflection: In what area of your life do you feel disqualified or too far gone for God’s plan? How can you trust today that His purpose for you still stands?

Day 5: Course Correction Requires Bold Action

Recognizing a deviation is only the first step; true course correction means taking bold, sometimes difficult action to remove what is leading us astray. Whether it’s unhealthy habits, relationships, or even seemingly harmless things that have become idols, God calls us to cut them off and realign with His will. This may mean letting go of things that are culturally acceptable or even cherished, but nothing is worth missing out on God’s perfect plan. [24:27]

Matthew 5:29-30 (NKJV)
"If your right eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and cast it from you; for it is more profitable for you that one of your members perish, than for your whole body to be cast into hell. And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and cast it from you; for it is more profitable for you that one of your members perish, than for your whole body to be cast into hell."

Reflection: What is one specific thing you need to remove or change in your life to get back on God’s course? What bold step will you take today to course correct?

Sermon Summary

Life is full of small choices that can seem insignificant in the moment, but over time, even the slightest deviation from God’s path can lead us far from where He intends us to be. Just as a plane that is off by only two degrees can end up hundreds of miles from its destination, so too can a “close enough” approach to God’s commands lead us astray. God has given us a clear course in His Word, and He calls us to follow it without turning to the right or to the left. The stories of Josiah and Samson remind us that even those who start well can be derailed by small compromises. Josiah, after years of faithful reform, lost his life because of a single act of disobedience. Samson’s downfall began not with Delilah, but with a small step into a vineyard he was meant to avoid.

It’s easy to justify small deviations—measuring ourselves against others instead of God’s standard, or allowing culture and convenience to shape our choices. But God’s call is not to be “close enough,” but to pursue holiness and obedience in every area. When we set our own course, relying on our understanding, we open the door to drift. Yet, God’s grace is such that no matter how far we’ve wandered, true repentance brings instant course correction. Repentance is more than an apology; it’s a humble turning away from what has led us off track and a return to God’s path.

There are things in our lives—habits, relationships, possessions, or even seemingly harmless interests—that can become deviations if they take priority over God’s plan. Sometimes, course correction means making hard choices, cutting off what leads us astray, and being honest about what needs to change. God doesn’t force us back on track; He waits for us to recognize where we’ve drifted and to respond with humility and action. When we do, He restores us immediately, though we may still face the consequences of our choices. The invitation is open: identify the small deviations, repent, and return to the path God has set, trusting that His plan leads to true prosperity and purpose.

Key Takeaways

1. Small Deviations Lead to Major Consequences Even a minor departure from God’s instructions can, over time, result in significant spiritual distance. Like the aircraft that crashed due to a two-degree error, our lives can end up far from God’s intended destination if we tolerate “close enough” obedience. The longer we ignore these small deviations, the more difficult it becomes to recognize how far we’ve strayed. [02:09]
2. God’s Standard, Not Ours or Others’ We often measure our faithfulness by comparing ourselves to others or to cultural norms, but God calls us to His unchanging standard. Holiness is not relative; it is defined by God’s Word, not by what those around us are doing. True alignment with God’s course requires us to look to Him alone as our guide. [21:57]
3. Repentance Is More Than Saying “I’m Sorry” Genuine repentance involves humility, prayer, seeking God’s face, and a decisive turn from what led us off course. It’s not enough to feel regret or offer an apology; there must be a change in behavior and a realignment with God’s will. Only then does God promise to restore and heal. [18:51]
4. Course Correction May Require Sacrifice Sometimes, following God’s path means removing things from our lives that are not inherently bad but have become distractions or idols. Jesus’ teaching about plucking out an eye or cutting off a hand is a call to radical action against anything that causes us to deviate, no matter how small or socially acceptable it may seem. [24:27]
5. God’s Grace Makes Restoration Instant While in the natural world, returning to the right path after a long deviation is difficult, with God, sincere repentance brings immediate restoration. Though we may still deal with the consequences of our choices, God’s forgiveness and guidance are available the moment we turn back to Him. There is always hope for a fresh start, no matter how far we’ve wandered. [20:00]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[01:17] - The Danger of Small Deviations
[02:09] - “Close Enough” Isn’t Enough
[04:41] - God’s Command: Do Not Deviate
[06:00] - Lessons from King Josiah
[08:21] - The Tragedy of Samson’s Compromise
[09:34] - Small Steps Off Course
[10:35] - The Progression of Deviation
[12:24] - Trusting God’s Plan, Not Our Own
[13:11] - The Context of God’s Promises
[14:23] - The Sabbath Principle and Trust
[15:30] - How Deviations Multiply Over Time
[16:41] - Repentance: The Way Back
[18:51] - True Repentance and Change
[21:57] - Measuring by God’s Standard
[24:27] - Radical Course Correction
[27:46] - Personal Reflection and Response
[29:42] - Invitation to Course Correct
[30:22] - Prayer and Commitment

Bible Study Guide

Bible Reading

Joshua 1:7 (NKJV) — > “Only be strong and very courageous, that you may observe to do according to all the law which Moses My servant commanded you; do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may prosper wherever you go.”

Proverbs 3:5-6 (NKJV) — > “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.”

2 Chronicles 7:14 (NKJV) — > “If My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.”

Observation Questions

According to Joshua 1:7, what is the result of not turning to the right or to the left from God’s commands?
In Proverbs 3:5-6, what are we told NOT to do, and what does God promise if we acknowledge Him in all our ways?
What specific actions does 2 Chronicles 7:14 say God’s people must take in order to receive forgiveness and healing?
In the sermon, what were the “small deviations” that led to the downfalls of Josiah and Samson? [[06:00]] [[09:34]]

Interpretation Questions

Why do you think God emphasizes not turning “to the right or to the left” in Joshua 1:7? What does this say about the importance of small choices in our spiritual walk? [[04:41]]
The sermon mentions that “close enough isn’t close enough” when it comes to following God. Why is it dangerous to measure our obedience by comparing ourselves to others or to culture? [[21:57]]
How does the story of Samson show that a person’s downfall often starts with small compromises rather than big, obvious sins? [[09:34]]
According to the sermon, what is the difference between simply saying “I’m sorry” and true repentance? [[18:51]]

Application Questions

The sermon compared a two-degree error in a flight plan to small deviations in our lives. Can you think of a “small” area in your life where you’ve justified being “close enough” to God’s standard? What has been the result? [[02:09]]
Are there habits, relationships, or interests in your life that started out harmless but have now become distractions or even idols? What would it look like to “cut them off” as Jesus taught? [[24:27]]
When was the last time you measured your faithfulness by comparing yourself to someone else instead of God’s Word? How did that affect your choices? [[21:57]]
The sermon says that God’s grace makes restoration instant, but consequences may remain. Have you ever experienced God’s forgiveness but still had to deal with the results of your choices? How did you handle that? [[20:00]]
What is one practical step you can take this week to “course correct” in an area where you’ve drifted from God’s path? Who can you ask to help keep you accountable? [[27:46]]
The sermon challenged us to be honest and authentic about what needs to change. Is there something you need to confess to God or to someone else in order to get back on track? [[24:27]]
Repentance is described as more than an apology—it’s a change in direction. What would true repentance look like for you in a specific area of your life right now? [[18:51]]

Sermon Clips

A little deviation will get us way off course. Most of us perhaps grew in Miami, so we grew up hearing about the Bermuda Triangle. There's something that happens out there. Most of the ships lost in the Bermuda Triangle was because they went off course. If you were to get on a boat right now and put in Bimini and go to go to Bimini, a one and a half hour, two hour boat ride, whatever it is, if you're off a degree, you'll miss the island. And then doubt in the Atlantic Ocean where no one can encounter you. [00:02:09] (36 seconds) #DeviationDerailsDestiny

In the church, the body of Christ today, there has been too many little deviations. Things that we look at and we say, oh, it's close enough. But church close enough isn't close enough. If I was taking a math test and the answer's four and I write down five, that's pretty close. But it's not close enough, I'd get it wrong. And in the church, because of...culture, and society, and so many different things, we've begun to allow deviations, little deviations to filter in, and they're getting us way off course of God's plan for our lives. [00:02:45] (33 seconds) #CloseEnoughIsNotEnough

``For every 60 miles, one degree takes you one mile off course. Then let's understand that. This means in a flight from Salt Lake City to Denver, you would land in downtown Denver rather than at the airport. On a flight from Salt Lake City to Chicago, you would miss the airport and land in Lake Michigan. From Salt Lake City to New York, you would miss Kennedy Airport and land in the Hudson River. From Salt Lake City to London, you wouldn't even make it to England. You would land somewhere in France because the longer you go in that deviation, the further from the target you get. Church, repentance gets us back on course. Repentance gets us back on course. [00:16:15] (53 seconds) #RepentanceRestoresDirection

Because when there is true repentance, there is not just an I'm sorry, there is a turn from the wickedness. There is a change in the behavior. It's not I'm sorry. sorry that I did this to you is I'm sorry and I'm changing the behavior and this isn't happening again. [00:18:41] (19 seconds) #TrueRepentanceChanges

A deviation from the flight plan of several degrees would take you totally off course. The pilot explained, the faster the error is discovered, the easier it is to return to the flight plan. If the correction is delayed for a long time, it's very difficult to find the way back. What the heck? What the heck? What the heck? Thank you. Because of flight traffic, poor weather conditions, decreased visibility, or other limiting factors. Church, let me tell you something this morning. In the natural, the longer you have deviated, the harder it is to get back on the course. But with God, getting back on course is instant. If there is true repentance. [00:20:07] (48 seconds) #EarlyCorrectionMatters

With God, when we repent, there's an immediate return to course correction. So I ask you this question this morning. What little deviation have we had in our lives that has kept us from where we're supposed to be? What little deviation have we allowed? What little thing? Which is so little. I'm close enough. [00:21:29] (24 seconds) #InstantCourseCorrection

Some of us are still watching things that every time we watch it. The holy spirit Grieves you shouldn't be hearing that you shouldn't be watching that there's music books. We're reading things We're wearing all kinds of different things that we're getting it and the holy spirit is telling us you're deviating It's giving us a warning sign Today's the day To boldly get up and say it's time to course correct To go home grab a garbage bag and a hammer and start breaking stuff and throw it away. Don't give it to somebody else [00:26:52] (34 seconds) #BoldCourseCorrection

As much as I may tell my wife something or my kids something, I can't course correct for them. I've got to let them. And God doesn't course correct it for us. He's waiting for us to identify what is it, what in my life has caused the, it's a little deviation. It's not that bad. [00:27:58] (23 seconds) #PersonalCourseResponsibility

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