Road Trip

Photo by Nathalia Segato on Unsplash

By Debbie Cunningham, Four Oaks Women’s Ministry Director 

Several weeks ago my son and I were traveling to Orlando for a Lacrosse tournament and, at 17, he was taking on part of the driving responsibilities. What I wish I could tell you is that I was enjoying a good book or a nap while he drove; instead, I was freaking out, seeing an accident waiting to happen as he was too close to the car in front of us or not slowing down when he needed to or in general doing something I didn’t like.  My husband pointed out to me that I act very similarly when he is the driver, but instead of saying anything, I reached over and grabbed the armrest, bracing myself for the inevitable accident. As both of the men in my life are good drivers and prove that over and over again by arriving safely at their destinations with all passengers alive and well, the problem isn’t with them: it is with me.
 
My need to control the things around me is a faith problem. In the case of being a passenger in a car, it is a lack of faith in the driver. But in a much broader sense, it is a lack of faith in God and His provisions. One thing I discovered is that if I lift my eyes from the cars directly around me, looking to what is further along the road, I am more at peace as the passenger. The same holds true of my circumstances. If I raise my eyes above myself and focus instead on God and His goodness, I am at peace trusting in Him to deliver me safely along the highways of life.
 
To focus on God instead of ourselves takes time, discipline, and patience. It is a lifelong endeavor that requires us to read and study the Bible. Over the past several years, I have experienced so many “aha moments” and moments of blissful awe as I learned more and more about the God who reached down and broke my bonds of sin. Choosing to rework my life to make Bible study a priority has brought greater joy into my life.
 
Choose to enjoy the ride of this life, by focusing your eyes on Christ, instead of clinging to the armrest and bracing for the worst.