Switching Lanes

“Many are the plans in the mind of a man, but it is the purpose of the Lord that will stand.” Proverbs 19:21 ESV

Are you an “always on time” person or a “has five minutes to get ready and just woke up” person? I think I fall somewhere in between, but traffic no doubt favors anyone running late. Yet, I’ve found that commute is one of the best ways to mediate with God and take advantage of some quiet time and worship time. Anyway, back to the point of this post. I have an analogy for you today. Inspired by, yes, you guessed it: driving! Yay.

The story begins like this,

One morning, I was on my to work—generally a 30-minute drive. However, if we factor in red lights and the insane Florida rush hour, one must expect to drive at least 40 minutes. I try my best to leave early every morning to arrive on time, but on this particular morning, I found myself running late.
There I was, going just a bit over the speed limit, eating my chocolate Belvita (safely, I promise), and listening to worship music. Apple Maps was up, and I searched for the fastest route (again, safely, at a red light). I chose a different way than my usual, for it was supposedly the quickest route on that said morning. As I was driving, nearing the 10-minute late mark—not too bad—and hitting almost every red light, I attempted to pass traffic by switching lanes *insert cry of despair*. Alas, the lane I was now in happened to be turn-only. With the hundreds of cars speeding by me, I didn’t stand a chance of returning to the lane I needed to be in. I was trapped.
As soon as that curving arrow appeared, the dread and panic settled in. I had no choice but to turn away from my directory. Apple Maps, of course, redirected me, and I pretty much went full circle only to get stuck in traffic again. Because I decided to rush my trip to work, I was now even tardier. In that moment, I laughed at the irony and couldn’t help but notice how similar this driving decision was to life.

How often do we rush things?

How often do we switch lanes away from the path God has set for us in hopes of getting to the destination sooner, only to find ourselves lost? In this life, many things vie for our attention, traps set to lead us astray from the correct path. But there is only one proper direction, and we can either choose to go against it or comply with the work of the Lord in us and follow that guidance. Our ultimate guide and destination is Him. One of the many things I’ve been learning is this: satan can’t make us do anything, but he will try with all his power to tempt and lead us into doing something. But get this, he’s limited.

“No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and He will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation He will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.” 1 Corinthians 1o:13

I often find myself in the wrong lane and fail to return to the right lane until God opens another path for me during the confusion (and just an FYI, God is way more reliable than Apple Maps). I sometimes forget that the waiting is also a part of the journey, an unavoidable aspect in this grand adventure I’m partaking on with God, one He already has planned out. In the long run, we can’t see the big picture God has painted, but He does. How untrusting and doubtful can we be to think that, by switching lanes, we can reach the place He is guiding us to sooner? Do we have so little faith in God that we believe He won’t lead us to the place He has called us to, whether physically, spiritually, emotionally, or mentally? If God is guiding us, He is also preparing us. (Phil. 1:6)

God has given us the objective to further His kingdom (Matt. 6:33), and nothing can change His sovereignty. Nothing can redirect the plan He has for our lives. God will equip us with what we need to fulfill the purpose He has called us to (Heb. 13:21). And that purpose, no matter who we are, is to live for Jesus and give Him all the glory in everything; it’s to follow Him in a relationship of obedience and love, dedication, and faithfulness. So wherever God may lead us to further His kingdom and our relationship with Him, we can have faith and confidence, knowing He will get us there. It doesn’t matter how long the wait feels; it doesn’t matter if we feel like we’re falling behind everyone else or running out of time. God never runs out of time because His timing is perfect (Ecc. 3:11). Nothing we do can change that, and nothing can speed up God’s process or slow Him down. The moment we say yes to Jesus, the moment we take up our cross and deny ourselves, the moment we hand over our lives to Him, we have every reason to believe what God has in store for us is far greater than anything we could’ve conjured.
I know this is difficult to believe sometimes, especially with the hurried nature of culture and society looming behind us. But I pray God opens our eyes to the truth of His incredible power. It’s okay to wait, just as much as it’s okay to take a leap of faith into a decision you know God has inspired inside of you.

The next time we decide to switch lanes and choose a path that diverts us away from His, perhaps we should remember God is in control, and we will arrive at whatever destination He wants us to reach when the timing is right. And it will be. Instead of rushing ahead and worrying about the future or even slowing down to dwell despairingly on the past, let us focus on the present circumstances around us and search for the work God is doing right now (Matt. 6:34). Because He is always working, whether we see it or not. We don’t have to get stuck in a turning lane to find out if the path God has planned for us is better. It is.

When we get stuck in a turning lane, and we will, I pray we have a peaceful reassurance that God will provide a way out. He will guide us back towards the correct path, even if we choose the wrong one. Our hope isn’t in what we can do but in the faithfulness of our God. And that faithfulness will withstand all generations!

We simply need to enjoy the journey and trust that we’ll get there when we get there.

“For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven.” Ecclesiastes 3:1