Backseat Driver
By J.B. Hixson, Ph.D.
03/12/2022
“A man's heart plans his way, but the LORD directs his steps.” (Proverbs 16:9)
Have you ever had the feeling that you are going the right direction, but you just do not know where you are going to end up? You are not really scared because you are kind of enjoying the scenery along the way. But you just do not have a clear picture of exactly where you are headed.
Several years ago, my wife and I had the pleasure of visiting Cancún, Mexico as part of a Caribbean cruise. While there, we paid a fee to one of those shoreline excursion companies to take us parasailing. Unfortunately, a storm arose and the parasailing company cancelled the trip. When we went back to the beach-side kiosk where we had purchased our tickets to request a refund, we discovered that it was closed for the day. We were told we would have to go to the main office to have our refund issued. However, the main office was about ten miles away and we had no transportation.
About that time, a nice young man stepped forward and offered to drive us to the main office. Though he did not say it in so many words, the implication was that he expected a significant tip for his services. Feeling we had no other choice, we hopped into this man’s car and off we went. We did not know where in the world we were going. Neither of us speaks Spanish, so any backseat driving we attempted was futile.
There we were, crowded into a small, 1970s-vintage Toyota, watching the sights and sounds of Cancún zoom by. It was definitely a step of faith. Eventually we pulled to a stop in front of a large office building, as our driver exclaimed, “¡Aquí!” We made our way into the main office, received our refund, and returned safely to our cruise ship—but not before paying our opportunistic tour guide his well-earned tip.
Sometimes life feels a lot like that exciting Toyota ride in Cancún. I feel like I am traveling in the right direction, but I am just not sure exactly where I am headed. “How does this part of the journey fit in to the bigger picture of my life?” I wonder to myself. Many of you may be wondering the same thing. “Where in the world are we headed?” Just hang on. Keep trusting the Driver. One day your car will come to a stop in front of a large building and you will think, “Yeah. This is where I am supposed to be.” It takes faith to make it through life because God often calls us to enjoy the ride for a while before it all starts to make sense. And there are no backseat drivers with God.
King Solomon understood this principle. In Proverbs 16:9, He wrote, “A man's heart plans his way, but the LORD directs his steps.” Solomon knew that our hearts may be doubting and fretting over all of the scenery as we travel through life. Yet, all the while, the LORD is the one driving the car. He is the one that will work everything in our life together to bring us safely to where He wants us to be. So…make your plans. Enjoy the ride. But just remember, in the end God will determine where you are headed. There is great comfort in knowing that, don’t you agree?
03/12/2022
“A man's heart plans his way, but the LORD directs his steps.” (Proverbs 16:9)
Have you ever had the feeling that you are going the right direction, but you just do not know where you are going to end up? You are not really scared because you are kind of enjoying the scenery along the way. But you just do not have a clear picture of exactly where you are headed.
Several years ago, my wife and I had the pleasure of visiting Cancún, Mexico as part of a Caribbean cruise. While there, we paid a fee to one of those shoreline excursion companies to take us parasailing. Unfortunately, a storm arose and the parasailing company cancelled the trip. When we went back to the beach-side kiosk where we had purchased our tickets to request a refund, we discovered that it was closed for the day. We were told we would have to go to the main office to have our refund issued. However, the main office was about ten miles away and we had no transportation.
About that time, a nice young man stepped forward and offered to drive us to the main office. Though he did not say it in so many words, the implication was that he expected a significant tip for his services. Feeling we had no other choice, we hopped into this man’s car and off we went. We did not know where in the world we were going. Neither of us speaks Spanish, so any backseat driving we attempted was futile.
There we were, crowded into a small, 1970s-vintage Toyota, watching the sights and sounds of Cancún zoom by. It was definitely a step of faith. Eventually we pulled to a stop in front of a large office building, as our driver exclaimed, “¡Aquí!” We made our way into the main office, received our refund, and returned safely to our cruise ship—but not before paying our opportunistic tour guide his well-earned tip.
Sometimes life feels a lot like that exciting Toyota ride in Cancún. I feel like I am traveling in the right direction, but I am just not sure exactly where I am headed. “How does this part of the journey fit in to the bigger picture of my life?” I wonder to myself. Many of you may be wondering the same thing. “Where in the world are we headed?” Just hang on. Keep trusting the Driver. One day your car will come to a stop in front of a large building and you will think, “Yeah. This is where I am supposed to be.” It takes faith to make it through life because God often calls us to enjoy the ride for a while before it all starts to make sense. And there are no backseat drivers with God.
King Solomon understood this principle. In Proverbs 16:9, He wrote, “A man's heart plans his way, but the LORD directs his steps.” Solomon knew that our hearts may be doubting and fretting over all of the scenery as we travel through life. Yet, all the while, the LORD is the one driving the car. He is the one that will work everything in our life together to bring us safely to where He wants us to be. So…make your plans. Enjoy the ride. But just remember, in the end God will determine where you are headed. There is great comfort in knowing that, don’t you agree?
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