Making the long trip

Rain was falling in sheets so thick that I could barely see the road in front of me and the deafening roar as it struck the roof of my car was drowning out any possibility of hearing any type of weather report on the radio. My headlights were of little to no use because the rain covered their beams like a blanket. The wind fought me for control of my car but I refused to forfeit possession and control. This continued for the next 2 hours. People went from driving 70 miles an hour to a meager 25 while trying to make it through all of this. A simple hour and a half trip to Nashville transformed into a two and a half hour journey. To add to the mix, I was traveling on little sleep and was quickly beginning to feel the effects. My internal battery was quickly draining and I knew that I couldn’t fall asleep on this road. I had to pull over, and for a while just give up the fight.

I had to stop because I had allowed myself to embark on this trip without proper preparation. I was not physically ready for the journey that I was taking. We find ourselves in that intersection in life. We are constantly beaten and barraged by a world that would gladly take control of our lives if we just quit resisting and give up. In both situations, it would lead to a result that isn’t desirable or pleasurable. We must begin to see this life as a journey that is filled with storms of unsure futures, and brave our way against those storms to get home. However, we may not always be ready to take that long journey spiritually. Just like I had to stop in a Wal-Mart parking lot to sleep for a few hours, we find ourselves having to stop spiritually because we are so exhausted. It’s part of the journey. Spiritual rest and replenishment are needed just as sleep is needed on a long journey. If we don’t we could find ourselves falling asleep in the journey and ending up in a spiritual wreck.