By Linda Grabeman
When my husband and I travel, I take my shoes off and enjoy the scenery, imagining all the great adventures we will have.
I ask no frantic questions about each turn or the name of every city we’ll go through or even how many stops we’ll make along the way.
I know his plans are designed for my good, to bring us joy because he loves me. I trust him.
Nor would I ever beg him to trade places with me and let me drive — taking responsibility for the traffic, listening to the GPS and peeking at the scribbled notes quickly written about what to look for or where to go.
No sir, I just let him drive.
In our years of travel and countless excursions, we’ve had mishaps. Accommodations that looked more like an Adams Family home than one for My Three Sons.
But I never doubted Dave’s love or stopped talking to him in those places.
I can’t say that about my adventures with God.
I confess that I have fussed at Him
when He didn’t do what I wanted
or failed to ordain the situations I longed for.
But I have confessed and grown from those trials.
I’m learning to trust God as freely and easily as I trust my husband.
He’s proven Himself worthy of that trust.
But here’s the best news:
there is no wrong turn,
intentional or accidental,
that God can’t and won’t redeem. We’ve all chosen detours at some time.
But, instead of saying, “Too bad. You blew it. You’re on your own,” our Father says,
“Here’s the way to go.
Just follow Me.”
He is a rescuing God, and it’s a good thing because I need His divine deliverance with ridiculous regularity.
I take the wheel of my life and drive where I think I should go,
all the while explaining to God that my way is best.
The paths I devise for my children are the ones most difficult to relinquish to the Lord.
Any other moms relate to that?
But whatever the cause of my wanderings,
I can end up on yet another back road,
lonely, lost, and nowhere near His desired destination.
So, I cry out, and He rescues me, gets me back on track and shows me His love.
God calls each of us to specific journeys.
He’s figured out our lifelong Trip Tik;
made each stop along the way purposeful,
regardless of how the circumstances appear.
What seems like a horrible situation right now may be amazing down the road. His perspective is infinitely larger and better than ours. My cancer diagnosis felt like a dreadful journey nearly twelve years ago, but over a decade farther down that road, I can see bushels of blessings.
Here’s the thing:
We don’t know it all.
We don’t need to. Because God does.
If we allow Him to lead the way, we’ll be able to embrace the Journey and enjoy the View.
Anyone ready for a God-ride like that?
Love,
Linda
Rebecca Baker says
Count me in!!!
Linda Grabeman says
Gladly!
Blessings, Rebecca