Think about how much time you spend in a car, whether it’s
commuting to work, driving your kids to activities, or just running errands. We
Americans spend vast amounts of time in our vehicles, which means we also share
a lot of time on the road with other drivers.
Seattle is a fabulous place to live with the mountains,
the ocean, and moderate temperatures. The area is a vast playground for outdoor
enthusiasts and a cultural treasure for those who love the arts. But
there is one thing that makes us all crazy. Seattle is one of the worst cities
for traffic. Not only are there numerous
cars on the road . . . there is a plethora of bad drivers.
My husband is not a patient man when following a slow
driver—especially a person going below the speed limit. Even though he doesn’t
tolerate people tailgating him, he can’t resist creeping up behind someone when
they’re keeping him from his destination.
I try to gently
remind him that pushing a person down the road isn’t the answer . . .
Okay—I’ll admit that there are times when I get a little
irritated too. But getting impatient doesn’t solve anything. There are also
possible ramifications for being in a hurry. Like speeding tickets. Or worse
yet—accidents that cause people harm. Yet, we can’t seem to stop ourselves. We
want to get there—wherever it is—as
soon as we can!
We may also treat God like a slow driver who doesn’t know what
he’s doing. When things don’t happen as quickly as we’d like, we may fuss and
fume—rant and rave.
In our writing life, we may try to push God down the road
faster than what he knows is right—or safe for us. We may be stuck behind
following, but he’s aware of the dips, holes, and debris up ahead.
We may think that our novel is ready—that we’re ready—for publication for the
first time or the fifty-first time. But if God slows the journey down because a
little more time is needed to avoid the ruts in the road, we need to trust that
he’ll lead us to highways where we can travel at a more comfortable pace.
There
is a time for everything, and a season for every
activity under heaven. (Ecclesiastes 3: 1 NIV)
He has
made everything beautiful in its time. He has also
set eternity in the hearts of men; yet they cannot fathom what God has done from beginning to end. (Ecclesiastes
3: 11 NIV)
I recently learned an acronym for P.U.S.H. Pray Until Something Happens. There is wisdom
in doing our part, and then praying and relying on God’s wisdom to make things
happen in due time.
After all, the goal is to reach our destination, not crash
and burn on the way there.
Enjoy the journey . . . and believe that you’ll arrive just in time.
~ Dawn
