How Far Do We Go?

I have a question.  How far do we go before we reach the point that states our intentions where we get as far away from what we know is right before we are unable to realize it may be too far for us to come back?

That was a mouth full.

What I am thinking is this.  So many of us get out on our own, making our own decisions and we realize that we  may have overstepped the limit of where we feel comfortable with our past decision making guidelines.  Before, we had our parents and our church friends, but then we find there is a whole other world out there that doesn't hold us to those guidelines anymore and we can pretty much do what ever it is we want.  We don't have to really answer to anyone at all.  At least that can "make" us do something we don't want to do.  It starts off small with little resistance or even discipline if we do something out of the ordinary.  But then, after a while of doing those things without repercussion, we find ourselves venturing further and further away from what we thought were our limits.  We may even realize we are able to make our own decisions, but the repercussions are now upon us when we do something that could or does cause us to find ourselves away from what we have always known.

Moms and dads, aunts and uncles, brothers and sisters, friends and church family, we will find, aren't with us nor do they mean as much to us as the did in the past.  We have walked away from what we have known and away from the people who have known us.  We do make new friends,  but they are not really a part of who we have been.  Now, let me say, this is a freedom of choice that God has given us, but it is one that can lead us to loneliness, heartbreak, and a failure to be in the most important relationship we could ever have.  A relationship with God can be lost because we walk away from what we know into an unknown world that is accepting and easy.

Through this rambling my question still remains, "How far do we go?"

Don't let a funeral be the time to say, "I wish I had been strong enough to stay with God and His family", though difficult and burdensome.  Swallow some of the desires you have and never walk so far away that you can't see those you love and so far that you completely walk away from God.

I'll see you later!