Learning to Trust

Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will direct your path.

Proverbs 3:5

            Our son Benjamin loves to ride in the car. It’s the only time, other than sleeping in his bed at night, that he stops moving. Someone told us “he makes me tired just watching him” because he literally cannot stop fidgeting. He makes the Energizer Bunny look like a dawdling old man. So it’s not unusual for him to fall asleep in the car. The motion seems to lull his hyperactive mind and body.

            One thing Benjamin does not do in the car, is tell me how to drive. He might ask where we’re going, but ultimately he trusts me to choose the right route, drive safely and get us all to the right destination on time. He trusts my driving. He trusts me.

            I am not at all like Benjamin. I like to drive. I like to be in control of the steering wheel. And even though I sometimes let my husband drive—if I’m really, really tired or very sick—you’ll find me trying to brake or steer in the passenger seat. I know he’s a decent driver, but I fail miserably at trusting his driving skills.

            Lately, God’s been showing me that I am doing the same with Him. Instead of letting him take over the driver’s seat, I’m constantly grabbing ahold of the dashboard when there’s a curve in the road. I have a tendency to tell him where to go and how to get there instead of leaving it all to Him. Sometimes I even try to grab the steering wheel from Him when those S curves and dips in the road get too rough. My knuckles get white, my heart starts to race and I’m ready to bail at the next stop sign.

            But God wants me to just sit back, relax and maybe even find rest because He is in control. He knows where we’re headed, the best way to get there and how long it will take. All He asks of me is to sit beside Him and let Him get me safely to my destination.

I’m not sure why I have such a hard time trusting Him. Human nature? A desire to be in control? A lack of faith? A preference for the easy road rather than the ones that take us through valleys? Either way, I need to surrender, to let Him do the driving.

He knows the best route. And He has a faultless record.