Growing Closer to God in the Car: Part IV

Posted by Conrad on 03.03.10 in Culture.

So I’ve tried praying for the annoying drivers a few times and you know what?  It immediately makes me feel a lot better.  It’s hard to explain the feeling.

Imagine yourself trapped in a room where Sheryl Crow songs are playing.  Imagine being stuck, trapped, doomed, not able to do anything to get out.  Slowly being tortured.  You yell, “STOP!  PLEASE!  KILL ME!”  But the music keeps playing and there’s no way out.

That’s what I feel like getting stuck behind really slow or ignorant drivers.

Impatience, agitation, anger, rage, frustration.

But then a couple times I remembered that I’m supposed to love people, even annoying people, and I prayed for them.  Something like, “God I pray that you would show grace to this person today.”

And you know what happened?

I escaped the Sheryl Crow torture room.

But not only did I escape the feeling of anger and doom, I entered a feeling of peace.

I went from the Sheryl Crow dungeon to an all you can eat breakfast buffet palace with piles and piles of bacon.  Not the soggy bacon, but actual crispy-but-not-too-dry bacon.

With other drivers, we pretty much view them as enemies and as wicked.  Maybe you don’t, but I do.  They are obstacles and opponents preventing me from getting to Costco.  But even though they are my enemies there’s this verse:

Luke 6:35 But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. [36] Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.

So all your enemies on the road – we must do good to them.  Pray for them.  Pray for God’s mercy on them that day.

Now think of all the people in your life who are your enemies, or people who just annoy you.  Your family, co-workers, contractors.

Pray that God will bless them, and that they would grow closer to God.

You’ll actually do yourself a favor, because you will feel better.  Which makes sense because doing God’s will does really bring you peace and happiness.

Then maybe, just maybe, they’ll get out of your way.

Luke 6:35 But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. [36] Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.

Take Time To Pray: Ask God for a loving and merciful spirit.  That you’ll be able to show mercy to others just like how God has shown mercy to you.

Today’s Fruit of the Spirit: Love, Kindness, Gentleness.

So this whole loving annoying drivers on the road is a lot easier said than done.

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