Recently, my family and I drove from Florida to the UP of Michigan. Normally a 24-26 hour drive in a car, but in a big rental truck towing the car, about 30 hours. It was not exactly pleasant, but not the worst experience ever. We also took Goldie, our miniature Golden Retriever, and incidentally, the "best dog in the world," along with us. About every 2-3 hours we would stop to get gas or take a break. At this point we would put the leash on the dog, carry her out of the truck (it was a big, high truck), set her down to go to the bathroom, give her something to drink, and put her right back in the truck where she would go under the bench seat and wait until the next stop. We did this over and over again until I started to think, maybe Goldie is resigned to the fact that this is just her life from now on....sleep under the bench, be carried down to the ground, go to the bathroom, drink some water, sometimes a little food, and so on...this is what I do, this is my lot in life; it's not a lot, but it's a life:) I wonder, if as humans, we think that too. Like, whatever is going on will always be going on; whatever I'm doing now, I will always do, nothing more, nothing less. Maybe, like Goldie, we just don't understand that God is transporting us to the next place where He will use us in a different way, in His way. We could not have gotten to Michigan to accomplish our purpose without traveling there. I've heard it said that, "Jesus is as much in the process as He is in the end product." I certainly believe that.
Well, the return trip home was not so good, especially for Goldie. Maybe this is how she rode the whole time on the way up and we didn't notice because she was under the truck bench seat, but this dog was full of anxiety. She was panting and shaking, and nothing I did brought her any relief or comfort. It was bad like this for about the first 14 hours. Her anxiety caused the whole atmosphere in the car to be charged with stress, and irritation especially for the driver; and if the driver ain't happy, ain't nobody happy:) Goldie (the best dog in the world who was not at the time) caused us all to have a bad experience most of the way home. The thing is, as human beings, we knew where we were going, and pretty much how long it would take. We knew we would be inconvenienced and uncomfortable for a time, but because we knew our destination and that it would not last forever (this was not our life), we were fine with it. If I could only explain to the dog where we were going...if only she had the same knowledge I had about those circumstances, if only she could trust me. Again, we are like that toward God.
God may very well be transporting us to the next assignment or mission and all we can do is shake, and complain, and not be comforted by Him. Maybe you think you're in a place you will never get out of, that you have been put on a shelf or out to pasture to not be useful anymore. Let me tell you that as long as you are a breathing child of the Living God you WILL be useful on this earth! He Saved You to Use You! (Eph. 2:8-9) You may simply be in transport at the moment. Maybe you find yourself around others who are whining and fearful of every sound and turn; maybe someone is ruining your trip. Try to remain calm. Pray. Remember God's Word. You will not be in transition forever, but the temporary trip may be cultivating the fruit of the Spirit in you, such as, let's say, patience?:)
The truth is, sometimes God just doesn't give us all the information or maybe He's whispering it to us, but we're so busy panting and shaking that we can't hear Him.
So, wherever you are right now, whether you're "en-route," or at a destination, remember this life is short in comparison to eternity; when things seem unbearable, remember, the trip has an end, a destination, a purpose, just trust the God who holds your life in His hands, and relax, He's just taking you to the next place....in Him.
Thanks for reading,
Big D:)