“Recalculating!” My husband and I had just missed our turn into the Los Angeles airport, and our Garmin GPS navigational system quickly kicked in to a new route that would compensate for our mistake. We had chosen a female voice for our device and nicknamed her “Garmie.” What I loved was her neutrality. When she said, “Recalculating,” her tone was calm and matter-of-fact. There was no condemnation in her voice—no “Recalculating, Stupid!”
In some ways, I think of it as being like God’s response when we have erred. No severe chastening us for our transgressions, but a loving God, already present—guiding and showing us the correct path—infinite, divine Mind. No matter how far off-track we feel we may have strayed, God’s course correction is constantly available.
The Bible is full of examples of the healing and transforming power that comes from heeding God’s direction. Saul was on the road to Damascus when he was clearly shown he was going in the wrong direction—persecuting Christians (see Acts 9:1–20). God’s unerring direction led him to forsake his former path, to become one of the greatest advocates of Christianity. As Mary Baker Eddy writes, “Saul of Tarsus beheld the way—the Christ, or Truth—only when his uncertain sense of right yielded to a spiritual sense, which is always right” (Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, p. 326). God didn’t punish or condemn Saul, but instead showed him a better way, which he embraced. As Saul’s sins were forsaken, they were forgiven.
