Switching Seats

"Anyone who intends to come with me has to let me lead. You're not in the driver's seat; I am. Don't run from suffering; embrace it. Follow me and I'll show you how. Self-help is no help at all. Self-sacrifice is the way, my way, to saving yourself, your true self. What good would it do to get everything you want and lose you, the real you? What could you ever trade your soul for?” ~ Jesus (Mark 8:36 MSG)

I have run red lights, drove over curbs and slammed on my brakes too many times to count. I have driven beyond the speed limit, paid for tickets in which I was at fault, and rear-ended the innocent. I have missed a turn more times then I'd like to admit, gotten leg cramps on long trips, and found myself completely lost in unknown cities, all while behind the steering wheel of my vehicle.

As much as I enjoy driving, these instances would show that I'm not all that good at it.

As relaxing as driving can be, after sitting in one place for long periods of time, it can become exhausting. There does come a point where your body starts to tense up, things turn uncomfortable and you need to pull off to the side of the road for a break. A rest. A stretch.

You simply get tired.

In life, it is the same.

We need a driver who never grows weary or faint.

A driver who will always steer us in the direction we are to go.

The good news is that Jesus is already in the driver's seat and He wants to lead us.

But we are really good at white-knuckling the steering-wheel because there are so many things we want to see, places we want to go, and lands we want to explore, but for some reason we get stalled. At a stand still. As though something needs to be fixed.

In those times, it is easy for us to get frustrated or impatient, but God knows what He is doing.
We can trust Him.

He wants to consume us with the good news of grace and guide us through this life, no matter what the traveling conditions might be. He wants to fuel us.

Remembering who we are or where we've come from is one of the hardest things we do.

It often brings us back to places we thought we could leave behind for good.

God doesn't want us to drive in the opposite direction of discomfort or suffering. He tells us to embrace it.

Too often we try to control the truth.

But God already knows and He wants to bring us into a true freedom. God wants to release us from the heavy loads of luggage we travel with.

It can be hard to hand over the driver's seat and lay down control, to let someone show you a better way.

We fight through this life with many inadequacies and we frequently get hurt.

God wants to be in the driver's seat to lead you in love.

Knowing that because Jesus loved us, He died for us, and we can be forgiven... that clears any accusation about past destinations and cleans up the baggage.

When God guides, it is the road to freedom we travel. A road to true healing.

The world and all its self-help methods cannot help us at our greatest need.

This expedition is not one we need to be afraid of but one we can joyfully celebrate.

Navigation belongs to our Sovereign God.

Jesus is calling the crowds to Himself, let us move on over and let Him drive...