Sitting in Traffic

I was on my way into work on a Saturday to shuffle some papers and get my desk clean, do a weekly review to get things planned and in order and one exit from work ran smack dab into a traffic jam on I-75.

At first the thoughts were this is great, going in to get ahead and can't do that! Then I realized I needed to pray for what was ahead. It could be anything. Lord, be with the police and fire at the scene. Please Lord be with anyone injured ahead to comfort.

About that time a BIG wrecker goes by and I knew a semi had to be involved. Then another BIG wrecker goes by. Another prayer for the driver of that truck.

Nearly 30 minutes later, I would wheel the VW Beetle by the scene where a trailer was across two lanes of the interstate, no driver seen long gone with ambulance. FOUR BIG wreckers working to get it off the road and towed.

Looked like he jackknifed. Pray he is ok. Pray that who was around him is ok as well.

It was when I got into the office and sat down I started to think about lives and the similarities of traffic jams.

When we are in a serious waiting game like a traffic jam, we are more alert as we go thru it. We are usually just looking out for ourselves in this situation.

We also see others that try everyway possible to get around even if it means going places they shouldn't. Some people are very ugly when they get in tight situations. They do things behind the wheel they would never do to your face or behind your back?

Traffic jams frustrate us. They stop the normal flow of life. People in big cities are always talked about by people in smaller cities as to not knowing how people do that each day going to and fro. We like the normal flow in our lives. A traffic jam stops life.

We usually don't think of others in a traffic jam. We think of ourselves and how it is delaying our time....It is hard to think of others when the focus is on self.

Seldom do we take advantage of this time to pray for those in the situation, I did this as I was prompted by the BIG wrecker, I don't know if I would have if I hadn't seen it whoosh by.

Seldom do we take the time in the jam just to ask God to speak to us while we are waiting.

This is what hit me that when we hit the "traffic jams" of life that come at us far from the road in places like our jobs, our families, our schools, our churches that we don't see this as maybe should.

John Maxwell has pointed out in one his books, "Failing Forward," {one of the few books I know of on failure} that when we fall down in life we don't spend much time down there on the ground. We jump right back up like nothing has happened, dust ourselves off, hope no one saw us and go right on with business as usual.

Donald Miller's book, "A Million Miles in A Thousand Years," is a great book about creating a better story. My favorite book of last year and ties into life's traffic jams as you have to have conflict to create a better story.

Michael Hyatt, CEO of Thomas Nelson Publishing even talks about pushing through when you have a problem. Please see his post from July 27th here:

http://michaelhyatt.com/2010/07/the-most-important-part-of-your-story.html

Our desires on this earth are always going to be toward Self and Pride. Our desire is to continually pursue Christ by not following rules but understanding that it was DONE on the Cross at Calvary. That doesn't mean we have a "grace card" we play. It means that we must constantly work on our natural self to focus on others. Doesn't matter about your personality either to focus on others.

This week think first what can you do to focus on others in your family, especially your spouse.

Then your job and then as you go thru the traffic jams of life to create a better story in your own life.

If you are in a traffic jam right now in life, don't lose hope. Help is near. Ask God to help.

King David is recorded in history as having some serious yelling matches at the Lord. He was upset, he was more than mad and he knew the Lord was listening and he knew he had a relationship with him where he could share anything with Him. He had no where else to turn.

Serious traffic jam.

Ask God to show you the way and He will. Ask Him to send people to show that to you and He always does. He is the best story ever. Always will be. Tell others.

He defines our timeline.

Hebrews 13:8

Selah.

Mid Point of 2010- How Are You Doing?

Here we go another year is coming quickly to a close. It is important for us to see where we are heading right now so we can make sure we are Creating a Better Story with our lives in several areas.

First is in our walk with Christ. How is the Pursuit of Holiness going? Have you found a church home to belong to? How is your quiet time? What scripture are you studying after the service and digging in more? Have you said I don't do church or religion.

I have a good friend that has been out of church since he was seven. In an effort to keep his marriage in order and become a better man, he is back in church. It took about five visits before he found a church he likes and feels like a fit. He wants to change his life to be more about what God wants and not him.

The real difference begins for you and me when we take what we are learning and apply that in our lives. Holiness is not just a word it is a form of worship. God is wanting to have more than a casual friendship with you and I. He is wanting a total transformation from what the world is showing to what He is about.

This leads to area two where this pursuit of Christ should lead to a changed life in relationships with family, your spouse and others. As Men we need to realize that we are to lead in a loving manner for our wives so they will have no problem following. It is an honor to lead my wife and to show her that I love her.

My children need to see how I love my wife so they will see how this relationship is to look and when they get ready to marry they will know when something looks honoring or not to Christ.

Next my career or job is done unto the Lord. Our job is to join Him where He is working and our jobs are that place He has us in to do ministry. If you look as your job as a "job" you aren't thinking how our Lord wants you to. The apostle Paul taught us in Colossians 3:23 that we are to do our work as doing it for the Lord. Do you look as work like this? It means taking more time to pray, to take politics out of it, to take YOU out of it. If you believe He is in control then you should work that way. Do more than expected, Show love to those that don't expect it, Create a Better Story in your life by changing your outlook toward your work. Your career.

When you really think about what God has gifted you in and where He has you in your work as a mission field, you will look at people differently.

Next who are you discipling and who is discipling you? You can always be helping someone else in their growth in faith because it grows you. Most Christians today are "Playing Church," by alot of church talk without real action. Don't get into that rut. With Christ, you have the most inclusive good news story that was ever created. Act like you believe that!

Who is Discipling you? We all need someone, I have several, people in our lives that will speak truth in love as we do life and bounce things off of them. If we just walk thru life alone we will Always play it safe and aren't challenged. People that challenge us in our faith walk first, then our marriages, our families and our jobs. All of them tie together. Belief that they don't is a mistake. You do need people around you to tell you NO from time to time.

Take time today to first pray. Ask God...where do you want me to grow the rest of the year in my faith? Churches will be offering their fall classes soon, then how should I grown as a man in leading my wife and family.

What can I do to be challenged in growing this way? Pray for God to give you a name of someone to disciple you. Pray for God to give you a name of someone to Disciple and get busy at it.

Lord, we don't have any money in our budget to grow thru training what should I do to learn? Pick up a book on something you want to learn more about.

This summer at work, we are offering a Summer Book Club- Bring Your Own Lunch , expense to the company = the books. 22 associates signed up to read a book about time management and we will work in small groups discussing how we put things into place in our jobs and lives. Neat thing is the author has agreed to be on a teleconference at the end of our discussion to answer questions! When we finish I really believe everyone in there will have helped each other in their goal of reading this book and putting it into action.

Then next week sit down and chart by month what you are doing to do to be on your way to closing out 2010 in a intentional manner. Writing it down helps put it into action. Then place it in places so you will see it to remind you or in Outlook calendar etc.

Good luck, we will compare notes this January. May God Bless you in your walk with him.