Do you know how God grows us?
JAS 1:2 Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, [3] because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. [4] Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything
We need to be tested. It’s like this, how are you supposed to get as ripped and bulky as I am, without lifting weights? How are you supposed to get in shape if you never run? You have to work out your muscles if they are to get bigger and stronger.
It’s the same thing with our faith muscles and the fruit of the spirit muscles. How are your patience muscles supposed to grow unless your patience muscles get a workout? How are you supposed to gain patience endurance unless you run a patience marathon?
That’s where driving comes in. Driving can be like a spiritual work out on a treadmill, or using a home gym. The road is full of idiots. They all have no idea what a passing lane is, or what those blinky things on sides of cars are. Each one of those terrible drivers is an exercise.
And each time they do something dum and you can exercise a muscle. Hopefully it’s one of patience and not of anger. You can get stronger at one of them. If someone cuts you off, and you keep your patience – that’s like one set of pushups. Someone sits at the green light for ten seconds before moving, and you are intentionally patient – that’s like a set of bench presses. There’s an accident that causes you to sit in traffic for an hour and you can smile, turn on the radio and be patient – that’s like running four miles.
Driving is one of the greatest places to grow spiritually – you just have to be intentional about it. So when you get out there today and get in your car, tell yourself that you’re about to workout. And while you’re at it, try using those blinky things.
JAS 1:2 Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, [3] because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. [4] Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything
Take Time To Pray: Ask God you help you intentionally work on the fruit of the spirit every time you get in the car. Today’s Fruit of the Spirit: Patience. If there’s one place everyday that your faith is tested, it’s on the road. A car is a huge weapon and they’ll give a drivers license to just about anyone – teenagers, criminals and even women.