Cruise Control in Traffic

Don't you just love the cruise control in your car? I so much appreciate being able to set the cruise control when I am on the interstate highways and not have to worry about my speed. (Of course, well inside the speed limit ... or maybe just a little bit more.) It is so nice to sit back and relax as you zip down the road.

But then you always have that guy who pulls out in front of you going 10 MPH slower than you are! You get frustrated, have to tap your brakes, and work hard to pass the jerk. How dare he get in your way. Doesn't he know that you were cruising along, and you don't want to be interrupted. If he wanted to drive that slowly, why didn't he take the county road?

We would often like to live the Christian life using some type of "cruise control." Just make a few decisions, set our life on a specific course, and let everything take care of itself. We imagine a life void of hassles, interruptions, and worries. Sometimes we even get angry (maybe even angry with God?) when things don't go as we had planned. Who are all these people and their problems that keep getting in my way?

Of course, most of us wouldn't try and use the car's cruise control in the middle of city traffic. (Although, admit it, some of you have tried!) There are just too many obstacles to avoid changing speeds. It is just as futile to attempt to live our lives devoid of problems. When we try to live as if we are on cruise control, we spend all of our time and energy avoiding people, justifying our mistakes, looking for the easiest path, and blaming others for our failures.

Compare this to the Apostle James' recommendation to "Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect result, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing." These interruptions of life which make us "tap on the brakes" are the times when God gives us a chance to minister to others and see personal growth as well. Let's take advantage of them.

Scripture: James 1: 2,3 - "Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect result, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing."

Action Point: Look for an interruption of your day that you can turn into an opportunity to minister to someone.

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