This morning I was once again reminded of my “slight” dislike for red lights as I hit pretty much every one red on my way to work. Did it really make a big difference in my commute, no. Did I still make it to the same endpoint, yes. Is getting annoyed with the stopping and starting bad for my stress level and just another sign of my never-ending struggle for patience – YES. What’s the point of this rambling? As I thought about how silly my driving habits are, it occurred to me that God also uses “red lights”. Putting things or people or events in our lives to make us stop, refocus, give us rest, whatever it is that we need at that moment. I’ve had more “red lights” than I would have liked over the past couple years (and I know that I’m not alone in struggles and trials). But I feel like God has had a real purpose behind all the red lights and the cross he’s called me to bear. There’s a peace that I can’t explain. My relationship has deepened and I have a greater appreciation for the time that I allow myself to stop and just listen. But even with that insight, I still struggle to do it. Now that I’m feeling better, my labs are stabilizing, daily life is getting back into a routine, I’m running the yellow lights and trying to avoid the reds. I’m falling back into the mindset of “doing”. When looking at my schedule for the week, I’m not looking at a schedule that allows me quiet time to hear God’s voice and recharge, but one where I’m trying to figure out when I can get the laundry done. I know this is human nature, esp for the Type A’s out there, but with some help and limit setting, it can be overcome. It will take a lot of divine intervention and assistance in my case! My goal is to not get wrapped back up in “go-go-go,” but rather to be able to sit back, take a deep breath and enjoy the red lights.
Case in point, I don't have time to look up a verse for today's post - what comes to mind is "be quiet, I am God" - probably as appropriate as any :)
