“For I, the Lord your God, hold your right hand; it is I who say to you, “Fear not I will help you.” – Isaiah 41:13
I have driven hundreds of thousands of miles in my life. I love to drive and prefer it to almost any other mode of transportation. I have driven in large cities with congested traffic and country roads where you are more than likely to get stuck behind a combine than in a traffic jam. No matter where the road may be and where the road may lead, I am happy to drive.
There was a short time in my life when driving was a struggle for me. During my junior year of college, I was involved in an accident that totaled my car and sent me to the hospital. Thankfully, everyone involved was physically fine, although neither of the cars in the incident would ever be driven again.
Although I did not realize it at the time, the wreck affected me more than just physically. The impact happened at more than 70 mph. Over the next several weeks, I had to wrestle with both the bodily pain and the mental impression from the wreck. As I became physically able to drive again, I had to mentally prepare myself to drive.
After my wreck, there were obstacles that I had to overcome to enjoy driving once again. I could still see the wreck taking place in my mind. I could hear the sounds of the impact as if it had just happened. I had to remind myself that it was in the past. The adventure that was ahead of me was far better an opportunity than allowing the pain of the past to keep me from moving on. It was not easy, and it took some time, but I am happy to say I still enjoy a good drive today.
We all experience pain and trials. The events of our lives can leave scars, visible and invisible. Sometimes their impact on our lives is so great that it almost stops us in our tracks. That is not what God intends for us. God wants the best for our journey. God wants us to move on and live our lives to the fullest. When the unexpected happens, God stands with us and reminds us, “For I, the Lord your God, hold your right hand, it is I who say to you, “Fear not, I will help you.” I am grateful today that I have been able to stay on the road and I am even more confident that no matter what the next miles have to offer, I will be able to make the most of the journey, because God will help me go forward.
– Rev. Keith King, Pastor of Worship
