Life's Journey

I have a tendency to speed. It is not intentional. It is not like I set out to break the speed limit. I have what some refer to as a lead foot, and it’s only when I realize that I’m passing everyone on the road that I look at my speedometer and take my foot off the accelerator.

I’ve tried to be more aware of my speed, I’ve even taken to using the cruise control, and I realized very quickly that I do not like the cruise control function on my car. It speeds up when I think it should slow down, it doesn’t accelerate as quickly as I would like, and it all makes for a very uncomfortable experience until a few minutes later when I tap the break and disengage the function.

Many Christians are in much the same predicament spiritually speaking. They have no issues with letting Jesus take the wheel, but they still want to control the speed at which they go through life. Having control of the pedals, having control of when you speed up or how abruptly you slow down, is oftentimes the most challenging thing to surrender because there is always the opportunity to play armchair quarterback.

It's been a while since I've driven with my dad. He is one of those people who not only tries to pump the breaks in the passenger seat, he reacts verbally and physically whenever he thinks I'm too close to another car, or that I'm doing something behind the wheel he disapproves of, like driving aggressively. It makes for some good comedy, especially if my brothers happen to be in the car as well, but he can’t help himself. It’s just his nature.

Most of the time we think Jesus is driving too slow. We chew our fingernails to nubs because in our mind we don't think he is going fast enough. Our mind starts roiling, believing that such and such ought to have happened by now, and eventually, we run out of patience and we try to punch the gas.

It's all about getting there, isn't it? It's about the destination, not the journey, and the sooner we get to where we're going, the sooner we can roll up our sleeves and get to work. Jesus is busy, he's got a lot on his plate, maybe he didn't notice the speed at which He was driving. Perhaps we should help. That’s usually when things go sideways, and when we run into the ditch and have to claw our way out again.

It wasn’t God’s fault that you didn’t wait patiently for him to bring you your life mate and decided that the one you knew in your heart wasn’t right for you would make do after all. It wasn’t God’s fault that you didn’t wait prayerfully for Him to send you out, and you went on your own, only to return bleeding and naked like the seven sons of Sceva.

We miss out on so much in this life because we are so focused on the pit stops along the way, rather than take the entire journey in. You are not alone while you're traveling from here to there. It is not a waste of time, it is an opportunity to grow in intimacy with God and establish a relationship.

If you've decided to let God take the wheel, then you must also let Him control the pedals. He knows when you need to speed up or slow down. He knows when you must be sent out, how you must be sent out so that it's all for His glory and purpose. 

With love in Christ,

Michael Boldea Jr.