A recalculated GPS route teaches a young couple about the power of repentance and our chance to always come back in the Lord’s fold.
Like almost all travelers today, my husband and I rely heavily on GPS devices whenever we’re out driving. And like most people who depend on technology to navigate, we’ve had our fair share of moments where we completely missed a turn.
In those split seconds, a familiar wave of frustration usually hits. Our stomach drops a little. We missed it. We’re on the wrong road. Now we’re going to be late.
But then, that gentle, consistent rerouting tune of Waze—our go-to navigation app—kicks in. It doesn’t scold us or tell us to pull over, park the car, and give up on the trip entirely. It doesn’t sigh in disappointment. Instead, it simply alerts us that it is recalculating. No matter how badly we messed up the turn, it quietly finds another way to guide us safely to our destination.
The first time I really paid attention to that sound, I couldn’t help but smile. It struck me as such a beautiful, powerful lesson on repentance.
A Lesson on Repentance: We Will Miss the Turns
In this journey of life, we are bound to make wrong turns. Sometimes they are small oversights—we miss an opportunity to speak kindly, or we let a selfish thought take the wheel. Other times, we deliberately take an exit we know we shouldn’t, finding ourselves miles down a dark, unfamiliar highway of old habits or mistakes.
Falling short is part of our human experience, but missing a turn doesn’t mean your journey is over. The adversary wants you to believe that the moment you slip up, the car is totaled and the trip is ruined. But God sees it differently.
As Long as We Repent, Our Routes Can Be Recalculated
God’s grace is the ultimate navigation system, and the Atonement of Jesus Christ is the divine mechanism that resets our course. The moment we recognize we’ve gone astray and turn our hearts back to Him, His grace – like our trusted GPS – begins recalculating. He doesn’t abandon us on the backroads of our mistakes.
As Sister Tamara W. Runia, First Counselor in the Young Women General Presidency, beautifully reminded us:
“We don’t stay on the covenant path by never making a mistake. We stay on the path by repenting every day. And when we’re repenting, God forgives without shaming us, comparing us to anyone else, or scolding us because this is the same thing we were repenting of last week.”
God doesn’t handle your course correction with anger. Isaiah 30:21 promises us:
“And thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, saying, This is the way, walk ye in it, when ye turn to the right hand, and when ye turn to the left.”
We Can Always Return
There is no wrong turn so severe that it outruns God’s ability to reroute your life. The road to redemption is always open, and the destination—His presence—is still waiting for you.
As President Russell M. Nelson has pleaded with all of us:
“Whether you are diligently moving along the covenant path, have slipped or stepped from the covenant path, or can’t even see the path from where you are now, I plead with you to repent. Experience the strengthening power of daily repentance—of doing and being a little better each day.”
“What if I keep missing the exact same turn? Doesn’t God get tired of rerouting me?”
This is perhaps the biggest trap of the adversary: the belief that because you struggled with the same weakness yesterday, you aren’t worthy to ask for help today.
Think back to the GPS. If you miss the same exit three times in a row, the app doesn’t lock you out or shut down. It just recalculates again. Our Heavenly Father’s patience is infinitely grander than any technology. In Doctrine and Covenants 58:42, the Lord declares:
“Behold, he who has repented of his sins, the same is forgiven, and I, the Lord, remember them no more.”
Notice He doesn’t say, “I’ll forgive you, but keep a tally.” He clears the map. If you are trying, you are succeeding. Repentance isn’t the backup plan for when we fail; it is the plan for how we grow.
“How do I know the difference between feeling ‘godly sorrow’ and just feeling crushed by shame?”
Shame and godly sorrow feel completely different to the soul, and learning to tell them apart changes everything:
Shame is a tool of the adversary. It tells you that you are bad, hopeless, and permanently broken. Shame makes you want to hide from God, turn off the GPS entirely, and drive deeper into the dark.
Godly sorrow is a gift from the Spirit. It is a tender feeling that realizes, “This behavior doesn’t match who I really am as a child of God.” It doesn’t make you feel worthless; it makes you want to do better. Godly sorrow points you toward the Savior.
Your worth is constant and non-negotiable. As Sister Runia taught, “Your worth isn’t tied to obedience. Your worth is constant; it never changes. It was given to you by God… Your worth is always great in the sight of God, no matter where your decisions have taken you.”
“The road back feels too long and complicated. How do I actually start?”
When you’ve traveled a long way down the wrong road, looking at the total distance back can feel paralyzing. Don’t look at the whole mountain. For now, just look at the next step.
Start with prayer tonight. You don’t need a script. Just be entirely honest with Heavenly Father. Tell Him, “I’m lost, I made a wrong turn, and I need help recalculating.”
If you’ve taken a major wrong turn that involves serious commandments or things like pornography, remember that your Bishop isn’t a highway patrolman waiting to give you a ticket. He is a guide stationed on the road to help you find your way back. Confession isn’t a punishment. If we truly look at it, it is an unpacking tool for the heavy baggage that is slowing your car down.
If You Feel Lost Today, Remember These Truths About Repentance:
- Repentance is a forward motion. The Greek word for repentance is metanoia, which means a change of mind or turning around. It means you are looking through the windshield, not staring miserably in the rearview mirror.
- The Savior loves the effort. Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf reminded us that “no failure ever need be final.” Christ is not waiting at the finish line for you to become perfect; He is walking the dusty road right beside you, helping you steer.
- Your map is never permanent. No matter how many miles you’ve driven in the wrong direction, it only takes one turning heart, one humble prayer, and one step toward Christ to find yourself back in His encircling arms of safety.
If you feel like you’ve lost your way today, take a deep breath. Turn the wheel back toward Him. Let Him recalculate your path, peace by peace, and trust Him to lead you all the way home.
