One of the things that really gripes me about following a semi-truck on the roadway is that I can’t see around it. In defensive driving you’re taught to be observant of the cars in front of you, not only anticipating what the car in front of you does, but what the one three cars in front of you does. You learn to look past yourself to the car in front of the car in front of you to the car in front of that, and so on.

 

In other words, leapfrog three cars ahead and try to anticipate what those cars are doing, keeping yourself far enough back so that you can avoid what those cars are doing. You can’t see anything with a semi right in front of you.

 

The second hardest thing to do is to trust God for the road in front of you. Trust God to move the hazards out of the way, to clear the pot holes out of the way, and to make your way straight. Proverbs 3:5 says: “Trust in the Lord with all of your heart and lean not on your own understanding, in all your ways acknowledge him and he will make your paths straight.”

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Psalm 119:105 says: “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.” When we are following God closely, only the taillights of that semi light the road for us. It’s a very dim light. We’ve got to walk carefully and keep our eyes focused in order to see. But Jesus makes our path straight. He will not let your foot slip. He watches over us so we will not stumble. Scripture says: “ The Lord is your shade at your right hand. The Sun will not harm you by day, nor the Moon by night. The Lord will keep you from all harm, he will watch over your life; The Lord will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore” (Psalm 121:3, 5-8).

 

And lastly he admonishes us in John 14:1: “Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God. Trust also in me.” As we trust in Jesus to pave the way before us, life becomes a lot simpler.

 

Just because we can’t see what’s going to happen or what’s in front of us, doesn’t mean we can’t see what’s around us, what’s right next to us, or where we are. I think the more we learn to trust in God, the more we can be satisfied in where we are at the time rather than straining and wrestling with him over where we think we might want to be. That lesson isn’t easy either. I imagine Paul took a long time to write that he had learned to be content in every situation. He doesn’t tell us of his struggles when he wasn’t content, although he does tell us that he struggled with God over some kind of affliction where God finally said in 2nd Corinthians 12:9: “My grace is sufficient for you.” So even Paul had to learn to fully trust God which was not easy for him and not easy for us either.

 

SPEED

           

The second thing that gets me upset when I’m behind a semi is it doesn’t go fast enough. Anyone else have an issue with a semi not going fast enough for them? Anyone have an issue with God not going fast enough for them? I mean we want things yesterday, right? We don’t want to wait for any reason. And God wants us to be patient. Just because we aren’t going fast enough doesn’t mean that God won’t fulfill the promise He made to us when He said He will carry us home. When He said that He will heal us. When He said that He will bless us. When He said that He will protect us.

 

In dear friends. With the 2 Peter 3:8-9Peter writes: “But do not forget this one thing Lord a day is like a thousand years and a thousand years are like a day. The lord is not slow in keeping his promise as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but wanting everyone to come to repentance.”

 

Psalm 37:4-9 says: “Delight yourself in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the Lord. Trust in him and he will do this. He will make your righteousness shine like the dawn; the justice of your cause like the noonday sun. Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him. Do not fret when men succeed in their ways; when they carry out their wicked schemes. Do not fret - it leads only to evil. For those who are evil will be destroyed, but those who hope in the Lord will inherit the land.”

 

God does things at his own speed not ours.

 

When we’re following God, when we’re trusting in him, we need not be so concerned with how fast things are going, but to stay focused on the path and on Jesus.

 

I have a hard time with speed. I like to go fast. I have a hard time being patient. I don’t want to wait. I wrestled with God quite a bit before I learned to let this one go. I don’t know if I’ve totally let this one go yet. I want to. I want to let it completely go and not worry at all.

 

When we learn to trust God, when we learn to delight in Him, who cares what He does? But he tells us if we delight in Him, seek Him, and submit to Him, good things will follow. He provides for us, he sustains, he nourishes us, he takes care of us. And I think it really pleases God to be able to bless us by giving us things or desires that come from our hearts and not necessarily our flesh.

 

Both my wife Luanne and I didn’t want to be alone. God’s word says it is not good for man to live alone. Trust me, I used that an awful lot when I was contesting and wrestling with God. But I say this to people who are looking for someone that God will find someone for you like he found Luanne for me. And it will be a perfect fit. I know from experience that when I tried to find someone on my own it was not. When I finally gave up and let God pick for me, I was blessed beyond my wildest dreams.

 

I know that He will give you the desires of your heart when you completely trust in Him and delight in Him. I just thank Him for that all the time.