Take your time and be patient when on the road
It’s August! Summer is ending. Schools will start soon. Many folks are squeezing in their last bit of vacation before the end of summer. The highways, rails and the skies are filled with travelers heading toward their destinations. This week, marked the end of July and beginning of August. It also marked one of the busiest travel times of the year. And unfortunately, this week also includes Aug. 2, known as the “deadliest day to drive.” I’m sure that there are several explanations for the dangers we encounter on the road, but I can’t help but wonder how much of it was caused because drivers who are distracted and unsettled. What would happen if drivers took their time? What if we could simply just be patient?
This week, my husband and I took a long road trip. During our travel, we came upon what looked to be a devastating accident. On the opposite side of the highway, only pieces of an 18-wheeler was all that was left behind. A mangled mess of metal and tires was pulled from the side of the road. As we continued up the road, we saw nearly 10 miles (no exaggeration) of cars, trucks, buses, and more at a stand still. No one was moving. In addition to praying for those involved in the accident, we also began praying for those stuck in waiting. One mile in, my husband began to reflect on the power of God’s timing and His purpose for our waiting seasons. Let me share.
When we get into our vehicles, we tend to have a plan, a purpose, a mission. We are trying to get somewhere. When we encounter a speed bump in our trip, we start to get frustrated, we wonder — “What is going on? What is all of this traffic?” But then we get a little further and see that there was an accident. We don’t necessarily feel any better, but now we understand the delay and why we had to wait.
We tend to have similar experiences in other areas of our life as well. We jump into our proverbial cars on our way to fulfill our plans for the day (week, month, year) and when we encounter any speed bumps along the way, we “lose it.” We flip out. We take out our anger on other drivers, our passengers, and most assuredly God. We ask God, “Why Lord? I want this, I need this. Why are you keeping this from me? Why are you stalling my progress?” The Lord says, “I know what you have. I know what you need. Part of what I am doing is supplying you with patience. There is purpose in my timing. I promise you, you don’t want to get ahead of the plans I have for you. I need you to act in faith and be patient in waiting. If you wait, if you remain patient, there is a reward. If you don’t wait, if you cannot be patient, there are consequences that you will have to live with.”
Now don’t get me (us — remember my husband is chatting with us too) wrong, it can hurt to wait. There is some pain in waiting. It doesn’t feel good to wait. Sometimes it hurts a lot and for a long time — even when you are focused and keeping your eye on God’s plan, it can still hurt (Proverbs 13:12). But it is still better, always better to have your eyes fixed on the prize.
Did you ever here of the principle of diminishing marginal utility? Basically it means that nothing will be as good as the first consumption or first step. After the first “taste,” its all down hill from there. The first taste of doing what you want tastes good, it feels good. But wouldn’t you rather wait for his timing and ensure that every step is the best step?
Friend, I encourage you to stay in God’s will and walk it out. He is taking us somewhere great. He only has great plans in store for us. We choose mediocrity. We choose free will instead of staying in his perfect will. What you want is good, but what he has for you is perfect. There will be no gaps, no holes, no mistakes in his plans but you will most definitely encounter them in your plans.
Find joy in waiting. You can choose to wait with a spirit of sadness and anger or you can have joy in the process, praising him and believing in him and what he has promised us. And as you wait, track what you are going through. Journal so that you can see how much has happened, see your progress, see God’s hand/favor on you in the waiting. Finally, serve him while you are waiting. Waiting is an action word — even when you are sitting on the highway. The way you talk, think, react is where the blessing is coming. You can’t do anything about the accident – but you can choose to make the most of it.
In reflection, we often find out that we were being protected from or we could’ve been protected from a major accident that was to derail us, taking us off of the road God intended for us to follow. Don’t wait for the reflection to be grateful. Be grateful in the waiting. Remember, God implores us to wait (Psalm 27:13-14) He waits for us because he loves us. Can’t we wait on him for the same reason?
Gina Watts is a former resident of Fayette County, now living in Columbus, Ohio. She serves multiple communities as an advocate, educator, and leader. Follow Gina on Twitter @professorgmarie.