Jesus Take the Wheel!
My eldest son Nick just started driving. At first I was petrified to be in the car with him since he was so inexperienced, but after a few times out I realized that Nick is really a very good driver. One day as I was taking him out for a lesson I noticed that I had stopped concentrating on how he was driving. It was as though I had been with an experienced driver for a moment.
That experience made me take note of who is really in control over my life? Who is in my driver's seat? So many times we want to grab the wheel and step on the break of life, but God has it all under control....or does He? I was sitting here thinking about all the things I would be doing differently if I were God. First, I would give all the power, grace, and pleasure to those people who make a conscious decision to do what is good, and decent, and loving. Then I would make all the people who are self-centered, mean, or jealous suffer! Next, I would only open doors of opportunity to those people who chose to do His divine will, and I would not allow them any obstacles. Last, I would make it so that everyone can see the pain and suffering in their neighbor, and when the see it, they MUST do something about it instead of ignore it like we like to do, you know, pretend it really doesn't exist. If someone sees an injustice or suffering and does nothing about it, I would make sure that person suffered even more.
Now doesn't that all sound great! Why doesn't he make it simple like that? Why does God try to complicate everything? After sitting back, relaxing, and forgetting my son was an inexperienced driver, something finally hit me. Maybe God really is in control. He has to be, because if he weren't there would be even more suffering in the world. Unlike me, God is merciful! Thanks be to God.
The reality is, we are all guilty of selfishness, turning our heads on people in need, and not following the will of God. If the world ran by my standards and conditions there would be no one left to do any good at all because we are all guilty and sinful. I think if we really tried to let go of the wheel and sit back patiently, we might just enjoy the ride and love where we end up! Instead, we impatiently reach over and try to stir the wheel, we put our foot on the break or try to push on the gas. We don't wait with patience. We tend to think "whoever has their hand on this wheel does not have enough experience and they don't know what they are doing!"
I hope I can practice what I preach in this column. I hope I can learn to be patient and not so self-centered. I hope I can put myself out there to help someone in need even though I may have needs left unmet, but until I can do all those things....I guess I will just have to hope in God's mercy.
So sit back and enjoying the ride!
That experience made me take note of who is really in control over my life? Who is in my driver's seat? So many times we want to grab the wheel and step on the break of life, but God has it all under control....or does He? I was sitting here thinking about all the things I would be doing differently if I were God. First, I would give all the power, grace, and pleasure to those people who make a conscious decision to do what is good, and decent, and loving. Then I would make all the people who are self-centered, mean, or jealous suffer! Next, I would only open doors of opportunity to those people who chose to do His divine will, and I would not allow them any obstacles. Last, I would make it so that everyone can see the pain and suffering in their neighbor, and when the see it, they MUST do something about it instead of ignore it like we like to do, you know, pretend it really doesn't exist. If someone sees an injustice or suffering and does nothing about it, I would make sure that person suffered even more.
Now doesn't that all sound great! Why doesn't he make it simple like that? Why does God try to complicate everything? After sitting back, relaxing, and forgetting my son was an inexperienced driver, something finally hit me. Maybe God really is in control. He has to be, because if he weren't there would be even more suffering in the world. Unlike me, God is merciful! Thanks be to God.
The reality is, we are all guilty of selfishness, turning our heads on people in need, and not following the will of God. If the world ran by my standards and conditions there would be no one left to do any good at all because we are all guilty and sinful. I think if we really tried to let go of the wheel and sit back patiently, we might just enjoy the ride and love where we end up! Instead, we impatiently reach over and try to stir the wheel, we put our foot on the break or try to push on the gas. We don't wait with patience. We tend to think "whoever has their hand on this wheel does not have enough experience and they don't know what they are doing!"
I hope I can practice what I preach in this column. I hope I can learn to be patient and not so self-centered. I hope I can put myself out there to help someone in need even though I may have needs left unmet, but until I can do all those things....I guess I will just have to hope in God's mercy.
So sit back and enjoying the ride!
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Hi...I followed you over from Fr. Michael Denk's homilies. I wanted to let you know that I thoroughly enjoy your insights and perspective...you are a great writer...I look forward to following your posts!!
ReplyDeleteI was thinking regarding this post that God does all of those things that you said you would do differently. He does make us suffer when we choose selfishness and wrongdoing. How many people are the way that they are because they are suffering within? When we grasp God and His Love ... that is when the doors open and obsticles disappear...that is when all things are looked at as opportunities ...that is when we recognize the paths He has made for us.
Awesome post...thanks!
Wow, thanks for your insight. You are exactly right! Thanks for the reminder too that when we grasp God's love than we can expect our obstacles to disappear. Thanks for reading.:)
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