Enjoy the Ride

I am a planner. I like to plan out what is going to happen, and feel prepared, before a situation arises. When Matt and I first got married, I was adamant that I had a strict 5 year plan. First, finish school (check), buy a home (check), go on a vacation (soon to be a check), and then maybe a baby after the five years was done... no check, yet.

Anyways, for so long I have been bound to this plan, and the idea that I HAVE to know what the next step is going to be, in order for me to walk ahead. Lately, God has been challenging and stretching me on this philosophy. For so long I have been limiting God, because I haven't been enjoying the journey that He has been taking me on. Sometimes we are so busy whining about the process, that we don't see that He is working things out for us. Many times we are like a small child that is whining and begging their parent for a snack. Whining turns into hanging off their leg, and what the child can't see from their level is that their parent has been preparing what they have been asking for, the whole time.

We often wonder why God won't take us through things the easy way; the fast way; the "best" way. For a long time I prayed for God to remove me from a situation, and He didn't. He kept me there. I was so frustrated, wondering why He would allow me to be in the situation, when He KNEW how difficult it was for me. And, when the time came to remove me, it wasn't done the way that I would have done it. Thankfully, He knows what he is doing. He knows what is best for us. In hindsight, I don't remember a lot of the things that were causing me pain, I just remember who I was at the beginning, and how He changed me, for His Glory.

Isn't it true that most times we want God to take us on the journey by way of the 401 when He decides to take us on the back roads? We want to get to the end result the FASTEST way we can. We want it now. Instantly. When God is saying: "It may take longer, it may be more tedious, there may be a few stops a long the way... but, if we take the back roads, we will still get there." What I have learned is that although the 401 may be faster, there is more to experience and learn from the back roads. If we didn't take them we would miss the cute shops, the beautiful scenery, the windy roads with the mini roller coaster drops, and the small towns that we would have never known about.

In the last few months, God has been challenging me to trust Him like never before. He has asked me to let go and have faith in Him. To remember that all things work out for GOOD. He is in the driver's seat, and He is in control. You do not have to be a back-seat driver when God is at the wheel. There is nothing worse then a person nagging you, yelling out directions when you have travelled the same street a hundred times before. God doesn't need you to tell Him how to get to where He is going. He knows what He is doing, and how to get there... with out you as a GPS! "He knows these roads..." (If you are a Bombay, this will make more sense to you!)

God may not work in our timing, but He is never late. Remember, there is more of a risk to driving at 120 kilometers an hour then there is at 8o, so have patience! As my mother in law always tells us: "Where you are now, is not where you will always be." God works everything out for good, and He wants to work it all out for you- our job is to trust Him, and learn to enjoy the ride.