Road Signs

Are you a flatlander? Or have you traveled on roads with signs indicating potential danger ahead? In our travels pulling a fifth-wheel trailer through Oregon and Colorado one summer, we encountered roadside warning signs. These were posted in mountainous areas and indicated the road was going to become steep and curvy.

At one point, the roads narrowed and had steep drop offs to the windswept coastline far below. It was not hard to imagine what might result if our brakes failed and we gained too much speed to keep our rig on the road. The situation makes me reflect on my life.

Sometimes I find myself in the fast lane, trying to keep up with my to-do and my things-to-worry-about lists. After all, there are things to do and places to be! It is helpful to have a little self-awareness, at least enough to see the warning signs of impending doom and slow down or hit the brakes—just not too hard or suddenly.

This is a good time to take a few deep breaths and reexamine our priorities and actions. I have to ask myself, Is it really necessary to accomplish this? Is this deadline so very important? It is helpful to have habits that promote health and optimize energy levels, not in order to accomplish more but to help create the capacity to acknowledge there is a problem and to give us the resilience to deal with it. We cannot maintain life at a breakneck pace and expect to be able to enjoy it and be available to appreciate those around us.

One morning, I encountered wise words in Luke: “God has come to help his people” (Luke 7:16, NIV). That means you and me.

We do not have to do this alone! We can look to our capable Savior and find help for our every need! During these times of unrest and the challenges of life in general, I believe there is comfort to be had in the psalmist’s admonition in Psalm 56:3: “Whenever I am afraid, I will trust in You” (Psalm 56:3, NKJV). The Bible speaks of being afraid.

Maybe you are. Maybe you prefer to exchange the word afraid for distressed, anxious, worn out, or any number of other words to describe what you are experiencing.

I encourage you to find rest and comfort by going to the one Person who loves you above all others. Hold on! A better time is coming soon!

Terri Gibson