Just go for the ride

Can you relate?  When I first became a Christian, several things happened right away.

1. I knew that something profoundly good had happened and was happening within me.
2. I also realized, clearly, the depth of my moral bankruptcy up to that point.
3. Therefore, I realized that it was going to take a lot of work to really turn me around.
4. And, instinctively I sensed that I would never reach successful transformation by myself.

At a later point I was able to more fully understand God's grace, which enabled me to learn to forgive myself (He'd already done it) and move on in understanding of what my job was as a striving to be Christ follower.  I soon "got" it.   Here's what I discovered:

• there's a reason for this happening in my life (God's plan) and I don't have to know what it is yet.  I'll find out when He's ready.
• I will stumble and I will fall at times, and that is ok, and I don't have to beat myself up over it. 
• There is a reason why I will stumble and fall.  It is so I will learn valuable lessons by doing so.
• If I trust Him and keep in communion with Him my stumbles and falls will never be more than I can handle.
• Striving to be a perfect Christ follower is not an impossible dream, but it is an impossible goal.

So here is a brief capsule of what all that means to me.  I'm going for the ride of my lifetime.  I don't know when the trip will end, or what I will be doing in the meantime...except for what I'm doing at this moment.  Along the way on that ride of a lifetime there will be a flat tire or two, and perhaps even a few body dings.  All I gotta do, however, is keep it in drive and keep on motoring.  On this ride of a lifetime, I have a roadmap to consult along the way (a Bible) and there will always be a passenger along (Jesus) who will always have my back, even if I take a wrong turn once in a while.  I just have to trust Him.

It's really pretty simple.  Just go for the ride.  There's a few things that can slow you down:

• laziness
• doubt
• fear
• temporary apathy
• unwillingness
• and more.

Those are all easy to overcome.....if we want to.  All we gotta do is consult that road map and talk to our passenger.  Either, or both, will get you back on the road again.

Just go for the ride.