To the Stars Who Strayed too Far | UMC YoungPeople
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30
September 2015

To the Stars Who Strayed too Far

By Jeaneth Panti

Looking on Twitter recently, my friend's bio caught my attention. In it she describes herself as a "lost star." I had to ask myself: "There are times that I also feel like I am lost, like the stars in the heavens, but am I really lost? Am I really so lost that I could not even find myself?"

But God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. - Romans 5:8

I am a human. I can be young and carefree, to the point that I don't think of the repercussion of my sins. As long as something makes me happy, and my friends support me, it should be OK, right? But then, not all things that make us happy are right. Not everything that pleases us would please God. Our happiness over God's? You choose.

Like the stars, we can't always control what happens to us. Sin, which can make us feel detached from God, starts in our eyes, corrupts the heart, and takes over our emotions and body. It is easy to let things slip bit by bit. A little flirting over here, some lies there— and the evil starts to collect the mounds of the wrongs we do. Erosion of values begins with a small decision. A big sin over a small one? No exceptions. They are just the same.

How do we become more than just wandering stars? First, don't put yourself in a situation you know you might regret. Yes, God promised to give us strength to withstand temptations but you have to do the tough job of staying away from such situations when you can. Instead of waiting for sin to overpower you, you need to refuse.

Next, even though we cannot always control our situations, we can control the way we respond to the mistakes we commit. We can control our actions. Pray for things you cannot control and He will surely manage the rest.

"My dear child, you are not lost. You just strayed too far from me." — Christ.

It is not easy, it is going to be hard. We are just humans, vulnerable to this kind of area, fragile in committing sin. Yet there is no sin that can separate us from God. Let us all run away from it, believing that nothing can overcome God's grace, even sin.

Do not wait for regret to shine brighter than the hopes in your heart. All of us know how it feels like to lie awake at night worrying about the repercussions of our sin. Yet God's compassion for us reaches far beyond the farthest galaxies. Commit to His brilliant grace, not to what this universe could offer, and you'll never feel lost again.

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Discussion Question: How are you going to alert yourself that you are heading a situation where you might sin?

To see more devotions from Jeaneth and our other Young Adult writers, or find our how you can become a writer yourself, visit our By Young Adults for Young Adults devotion page.