June 11 , 2007

Drive In Your Own Lane

I was driving to work the other day and God dropped this scripture in my spirit, Proverbs 18:16: A man's gift makes room for him and brings him before great men.(A) I wondered what He was trying to tell me and then I looked around me. I was on the freeway and I began to look at how the traffic flowed. I saw cars merging in and out of traffic. Whenever a car or truck would try to fit into a space that was too small for it or moved at a time when it shouldn’t something happened to the flow of traffic.

Okay, let’s try to clarify. Whenever the space was too small the people in the cars behind the merging car had to slow down, put on the brakes or the driver moved out of the way to avoid hitting them and causing an accident. All of the drama is an indication that the person attempting the lane change should have stayed in their own lane. Because they didn’t it affected everyone that came behind them.

What does this mean to us? When we operate outside of our lane of travel we do not just affect ourselves we cause everyone around us to miss what God has for them. You don’t just affect your future you affect the futures of everyone you come in contact with and those they were supposed to come in contact with. Does it help anything? Do we get there any sooner? Do we ever fulfill God’s true purpose for us?

The answer to all three questions is no. We become a hindrance to the plan and purpose of God just like we hold up traffic. If we are not careful we bump into each other and cause damage that could have a lasting affect on us and everyone around us. Some people will get hurt just because they were in the wrong place at the wrong time. Much of this damage could have been avoided if we just stayed in our own lane and waited until it was our turn to change lanes. When God purposes a thing there will be no damage, no slowing of traffic and no blowing of horns. The transition from the lane you are in to the lane you are moving into will be smooth, because your gifts will have made room for you, the timing will be right.

Don’t mistake smooth with easy. Transitions are never easy, because they require us to completely submit in willing obedience and to trust God our creator to lead us through it. Most of us will have a little apprehension. You know when you are attempting to make the lane change you have to check all of your mirrors and your blind spot, to be aware of every thing that is going on around you. If you miss checking one place you could be the cause of the accident.

If you are driving in the lane God has assigned to you, you know doing what God told you to do, watch out for those who may be making unsafe lane changes. They may be moving into your lane of travel to bump you off course. Remember the enemy does not want you to get this right. Regroup, Reassess and continue in the direction that God gave you. You may have to take a different exit or be blown off course for a short time, but you can get back on course after you determine where you are and get your bearings. Whatever you do, don’t quit, give up or continue going in the wrong direction, even if that means you have to turn around and retrace your path.

Examples:
You may be in the wrong job.
You may be in the wrong ministry.
You may be dating the wrong person.
You may be pursing the wrong career.
You may have allowed yourself to follow the wrong people.

Getting back in the correct lane and on the correct path may cause you to have to make some serious decisions and to retrace your steps. It may be painful. It may require saying I’m sorry to some people that you lead astray or attached to wrongfully, but do it. It will save everyone pain in the long run. You may have to leave some relationships and stop following some people. Do it, your very future depends on it and so does the future of all of those that are watching and depending on you. Reassess, Regroup and let’s move on.

  Weekly Scripture:

Proverbs 18:16: A man's gift makes room for him and brings him before great men.(A)

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