While I don’t specifically know how a car is aligned, I do know alignment is very important. When a car is severely misaligned, the driver can feel it pull toward the side of the road even while holding the steering wheel. Slight to moderate misalignment is more difficult but not impossible to notice. Misalignment in an automobile causes uneven and rapid tire wear as well as lack of steering responsiveness. In addition, misalignment causes added vibration throughout the vehicle that increases wear and tear on the vehicle as a whole.
When a person is out of alignment, they have difficulty listening to others and giving focused attention. They may appear to be listening but are not fully focused. Signs of misalignment include being easily or quickly worn out, neglecting important parts of life like exercise and healthy eating, and drifting from usual habits like regular meals, a good night’s sleep, and daily devotions. Other signs include struggling to keep up with the routine of work and noticing a severe decline in overall attitude.
When a person is out of alignment in any area, they are headed for a more serious situation such as significant illness, depression, and destruction of relationships. Misalignment is a warning sign that we must heed if we expect to prevent some of the more serious situations that can take us completely out of commission.
Assessing Your Alignment
The following guidelines can help assess your alignment and steer you toward a straighter path.
1. Plan for inclement weather. Since I live in Michigan, I know the weather can change in a heartbeat and often does so half a dozen times in one day. Similarly, life can change in an instant, and we must be as aligned as possible when struggles, trials, and tragedies hit because they will eventually hit. Keeping up with basic maintenance – healthy eating, exercise, daily prayer, and devotions, etc. – can help keep you between the lines when the road gets rough.
2. Ask for help. Just like we need a mechanic to align our vehicles, we also need others to help keep our lives aligned. Establish your marriage as a place of safety, refuge, and help by using solid Marriage Maintenance Tips. Learn Be Accountable. Place yourself under a Bible-believing, preaching, and teaching minister. Always remember that No Man is An Island.
3. Develop a preventative maintenance plan. I get monthly alignments at a chiropractor with the belief that this allows my body to function at its highest potential. Each individual’s plan is unique, but each individual needs to have a plan.
Take time to assess your alignment. Evaluate the various areas of your life – spiritual, physical, mental, and social – to identify any areas of misalignment. Begin this evaluation process with a time of prayer asking for God’s perspective on each area. Focus on making your relationship with Christ your primary concern, then follow His plan for staying aligned.
Barb
I think the thing that keeps me aligned more than anything is the regular renewing of the mind – especially in the areas of my life that are messed up and obviously need aligning!
Kari Scare
You set a great example with how you constantly work to renew your mind and in being brave to share that in your blogging. Definitely an effective way to get and stay aligned.
yvonneroot
Kari,
I'm always hesitant to add comments about journal writing because I worry people will think I'm just looking for a place to "push my wares." I'm not.
I'm passionate about the good results achievable through consistent and regular use of a written journal. And your question about additional suggestions for getting aligned nagged at me until I decided I just had to say it.
Using a journal for daily devotionals, for self improvement emphasis, for skill improvement, for emotion sorting and for any number of other focused reasons is a simple, cost effective way toward the goal of "getting aligned."
Your article is great. The first thing you mentioned, preparing for inclement weather is so right on. As an example, yesterday I received a phone call telling me that my 45 year old friend had died of a heart attack. She seemed so vibrant and healthy to me. Inclement weather takes so many forms. Today, I mourn the loss of a young friend.
Kari Scare
I am so sorry to hear of this man's death! It does serve as a perfect example of preparing for inclement weather for sure. My prayers go out to you and to his family. As for journaling, I am a HUGE journaler. I may not have referred to that in this post, but it is a tremendous part of my prayer life. Journaling is how I work through almost everything. I have written some other posts about journaling but haven't in a while. Maybe I need to again. Perhaps it's something I take for granted because it's so much a part of who I am and has been for so long. So, thank you for bringing this point up. It is definitely a huge way that I get and stay aligned. Now that I am thinking more about it, I do wish I would have mentioned it in the post. Again, thank you for bringing this up. Your comment fills in a definite hole on the topic started in the post.
Loren Pinilis
I really like the idea of preventative maintenance. I know that often we go and go and go and go until something just breaks down. But I've noticed that not only does that exhaust me and cause problems, but I've often wasted time and a lot of opportunities by moving in the wrong direction for so long. These periods of alignment have been immensely helpful for me.
Kari Scare
Last night while watching football, a commentator was speaking on the murder/suicide with the Kansas City player. He questioned (and I think he was referring to a news article) why we go from tragedy to tragedy and only get woke up about what we need to change in our lives and our society because of these tragedies. Basically, why do we need tragedies to make us get aligned? If we worked on our "stuff" with a preventative maintenance approach, wouldn't we avoid more tragedy? He didn't say all this, but it was definitely inferred, and I think you're getting at it with your comment too.
Coach_Mike
Great analogy and application. One reminder also about misalignment: If your wheels are badly misaligned an accident caused by losing control is a risk and you can run right off the road where danger lurks. Isaiah 35 speaks of the Highway to heaven imagery that God has his chosen people to walk under His protection. If we veer off course we are risk of the dangers that lurk there. It is always much easier steering on the highway when all the wheels are properly aligned. Thanks Kari… Michigan is a great place!
Kari Scare
Great point, Coach. Not only does misalignment prevent us from reacting well to what life hands us, it can also lead to accidents that would not otherwise happen. About the "Highway to Holiness," I am so glad you noted that too. Not only does it fit well with this discussion, but it reminds me of a post idea on that scripture. The idea of staying aligned to allow us to stay on His Highway to Holiness is such a significant key to finishing the race strong.
Mary McCauley
Hi Kari, I love this post. It is so true that we often fail to pay attention to the signs that we need to get some things back in line, like eating right, finding a way to work out in the semi, and other areas that make it easier to deal with the storms we all face. Thanks for sharing! As always you get to the point and do a great job.
Kari Scare
Thanks, Mary. Life is so much about doing the small things that over time add up amd make a huge difference.
Mark Allman
To be misaligned certainly wears on the soul. It also effects us both physically and mentally. I like the verse Amos 7:7-8 "This is what he showed me: The Lord was standing by a wall that had been built true to plumb,[a] with a plumb line[b] in his hand. 8 And the Lord asked me, “What do you see, Amos?”
“A plumb line,” I replied.
Then the Lord said, “Look, I am setting a plumb line among my people Israel; I will spare them no longer."
Jesus is our plumb line and we need often to set ourselves up against him to see if we are plumb and if we are out of alignment we need to move back to plumb.
Kari Scare
The plumb line is another great analogy that I could have used too. Definitely fits well with this topic, and the scripture may show up in a post sometime. Hope Houston is warm for you Mark!