“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.” Proverbs 3:5-6 NIV
If there is one thing I do not like, it is surprises! An unexpected fender bender, a flat tire when you are heading somewhere, an unexpected bill that you can not afford to pay, a random family emergency, a broken relationship, etc. I have had all of these surprises spring up on me throughout my life at one time or another. They are never fun to deal with and admittedly they sometimes bring out the worst in me. Maybe it is because I like stability and these kind of surprises cannot be controlled or prevented.
One of the many things I have learned in the 30 years of living on this planet is life never goes according to plan; however, there have been many times that I prayed to God that He would give me a roadmap so I know what lies ahead. Even though God is behind the wheel, He doesn’t always tell me where we are going. And when I ask for a roadmap, He doesn’t provide one. I am the kind of guy that likes planning ahead of time before doing something because as I mentioned before, I do not like running into any hiccups. My good friend, who celebrated 30 years of life with me in Seattle in September of 2017, quickly discovered this earlier that year when we first flirted with the idea of making a trip to the Pacific Northwest. Within days, I had a list of flight dates and times, a list of hotels that were strategically near places we might like to visit, and an Uber account ready to go. That’s just how I am. I have never been a “let’s roll with it” kind of guy. So in many ways, I am the same way when it comes to God’s will. I have to know what His will is because I simply do not like surprises! Sometimes God has to remind me that He has everything under control.
Despite my dislike for trying times, God always seems to extend his grace to me in so many ways. I didn’t always see it until now. But as I currently face yet another trying season, I sense God whispering to me to TRUST Him.
Proverbs 3:5-6 in the NIV says, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.”
I truly believe God wants me to give up control and learn to lean on Him. God wants me to trust Him because He knows what’s best for me. Sometimes submitting to Him is a difficult thing to do. I don’t comprehend His wisdom and I am not sure if my brain ever will. But what I do know is God wants me to trust him and that is what I have decided to do. I am going to give God control of the wheel.
In a way, my life is a like a road trip where I am the passenger and God is the driver. Sometimes I am just like one of those annoying kids in the back seat who constantly asks at every mile marker “are we there yet?” But instead of worrying about how much longer there is until the destination, I am going to sit back and enjoy the ride. I am going to enjoy the company of my driver and enjoy the view of the journey He is taking me on.
Today, I am a completely different person. I don’t ask God “why” or “when” anymore. I no longer worry about how I am going to face a problem or an uncertain future because I have placed it all in His hands. To be honest, I am not really sure if I am ready for this journey to end. I still look forward to reaching the destination but in a strange way I am also afraid that arriving at the destination will mean the end of a beautiful journey with God. Sadly, it does end for many when they find love or when God gets them through a difficult time. But I pray that when I finally arrive at my destination, I will do something that many people fail to see is an option – refuse to step out of the vehicle. I plan to continue riding along with God on this incredible journey because I have the best driver and the best company a guy could ever ask for. I choose to trust God!
Joshua Hawk 