Devotionals for the Heart: Reasons why you need to let God drive

God’s Driving Lessons
A devotional by Karen Marstaller

“Wait for the Lord; be strong and let your heart take courage; wait for the Lord!”

—Psalm 27:14 (ESV)

The other day, our oldest granddaughter came over to spend the night and have a much-anticipated visit. One of the highlights of our time together is always to go to a fun, trendy, downtown bookstore.

We came up with a plan that included our fifteen-year-old who has a brand-new learner’s permit. She is allowed to drive with a licensed driver in the passenger seat, and I am one of those, so we decided we would make the two-mile trip with her behind the wheel.

The drive from our house to downtown started uneventfully, but when we reached the congested city center, we were faced with a massive roadblock. Construction crews with their heavy equipment were everywhere, digging up whole lanes of streets amid a myriad of vehicles of all shapes and sizes.

We were behind a semi-trailer and were poking along as we tried to reach our destination. The problem wasn’t the truck in front of us, but the line of vehicles behind us. The truck driver attempted a left turn off the narrow lane we were on. Barrels barricaded the deep holes where workers were employed to restructure the street. His path narrowed even more.

As many know, most drivers of big rigs often have a hard time navigating a very sharp turn, and this one was particularly tricky. Half of both streets were under construction. Our fellow driver made it about halfway through the turn when he stopped and started to back up in order to have a straight shot through the intersection. That’s when the line of traffic behind us grew larger. It’s also when the lady behind us (who couldn’t see the problem because of all the huge equipment) decided to lay on her horn.

My granddaughter was tense already, but when the noise behind us blasted in her ear, she asked, “What do I do?”

“Just wait right here. None of us can go anywhere right now,” I said.

About that time, one of the workers jumped out of the huge hole in the street and started moving the barricades just enough to let the big truck pull through the intersection. The traffic light turned red again, and so we waited a little longer and then we also turned left. From there we were able to slowly make our way to our destination.

Sometimes life takes a different turn for us, but there’s a lesson in our story if we’ll look closely.

That truck driver had a definite plan in mind. From high in his cab, he saw all the roadblocks, along with all the cars and the workers, but he knew he could get through the very tight squeeze. He was slow and methodical, and he carefully maneuvered his vehicle through a tough spot to reach his goal.

Our responsibility, waiting patiently behind him, was to let him do his job, and to not become worried or upset because it was taking longer than we wanted. We experienced peace in our car, unlike the one behind us who was anxious to be on her way.

It’s like that in our relationship with God. From His seat on high, He sees the road ahead of us with all the speed bumps, twists, and hardships along the way. Our Heavenly Father knows that we often need to slow down and wait for His timing, His plan, and His work to clear the path for us. God is in charge, and if we will wait patiently for Him, we’ll see our next step on the road He has chosen for us.

We can’t be pestered by those around us who may have different opinions about the route He planned. Instead, we cling to His peace as we navigate unfamiliar paths. Ultimately, we will continue to follow Him for all our days, always waiting patiently for His lead and His timetable. And we will rest in His peace, even in the middle of a seemingly impassable crossroad in our life.

Let’s Pray: Dear Holy God, we thank You and praise You for leading us through this obstacle course of life. You are always with us, guiding us and helping us to see Your plan. We ask for patience, Lord. We want to walk in joyful expectation as we see Your kingdom come and Your will be done. Thank You, Heavenly Father. In Jesus’s Name I pray. Amen.

Song of Reflection: “I Know the Plans (Audrey’s Song)” by Damaris Carbaugh. Listen here.

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Author Bio:

Karen Marstaller is a retired high school teacher who spent most of her career challenging creative students to write. Her heart is for her readers. 

She writes to encourage them, to make them laugh, to show them that life is a beautiful journey, and regardless of their past, to show them that there is joy ahead if they will just keep looking.

Karen and her husband live in central Texas in a sweet little home that they completely remodeled. They enjoy spending time with their family, which includes seven precious grandchildren.

Most of all, Karen writes in obedience to the command to love your neighbor, to offer a cup of water to those who are dying of thirst, and to comfort others with the comfort she has received.

You can reach Karen by emailing her at this address: klmarstaller@gmail.com