My oldest daughter has turned fifteen, so the most asked question lately is, "When will she be getting her driver's license?" I just shrug my shoulders and think, "How did this time come so soon?" It seems not too long ago that I was sitting behind the wheel ready to learn how to navigate a car. The concept of locking a teenager in a car with a parent for an hour of driving seems challenging. Most teens don't like to be told what to do and want to spend as little time with their parents as possible. But, in this event, they have to listen to every instruction with complete obedience, and if that isn't stressful enough, throw in heavy traffic and the ingredients are there for strife.

In my experience, driving with my mother was rather pleasant. She gave me the freedom to learn on my own and occasionally told me to turn to the left or to the right. While we drove along, it was as if she were on a tour bus sightseeing. She would comment on every bit of wildlife she saw, new buildings that were being constructed and how beautiful the sky looked. If I failed to make the correct turn she would say, "Oh, well, try again at the next corner." The atmosphere was surprisingly serene and calm.

After a few lessons with her, I was used to the calm demeanor and expected the same from my dad. In one of my first outings with him, I hadn't even put the car into reverse out of the garage before he began speaking about every potential dangerous road condition. By the time we left the driveway, I was a nervous wreck envisioning head-on collisions, ambulances and police cars.

Degree by degree, my self confidence in driving was beginning to erode as I listened to his doom and gloom speeches of fatal accidents. The breaking point came for me on the day when he said, "You probably won't pass the test." I had diligently followed all the directions given, passed the written exam with flying colors, so why would he make such a statement? Now, as an adult, I see that all his worry and long speeches of impending disaster were based on his own fears, but at sixteen, I didn't see it that way. I wanted my license, and I had worked hard. Frustration burst out of me. I almost broke the shift mechanism putting the car in park. I ripped the keys out of the ignition. I snapped, "I am never driving with you again!" There we sat in the darkening shadows of the cool garage with the summer sun setting behind us. Again, I hadn't even had a chance to get out of the garage before all of this happened.

After a few moments, he quietly told me to start the car. I complied, just wanting to get it over with. From there on, he just gave simple instructions to turn left, and go right. He had me drive in a remote part of town with minimal traffic, and at one point, I turned left instead of right. Unknown to me, I had just entered the gates of a mental institution. The speed limit was 5 miles per hour. I sensed my dad's anxiety level increase as we slowly drove along. I said I would try to turn around. He rolled up his window and locked his door. This was very subtle, but I noticed. I had to keep a straight face as I saw him clutching the arm rest. It was humorous to me to see the man who I thought could protect me against everything be so concerned over just driving along the premises of a healthcare facility.

"How do we get out of here?" he asked. I had to stop as a resident in a white hospital type gown walked right in front of the car at the cross walk. As we waited for her to cross, another man stood on the curb and stared intently at my dad with a very angry face. He was very close to the passenger side of the car and looked as if he was ready to open the car door. The woman in the crosswalk was in no hurry to move along. She slowly proceeded to the other side as if I weren't there.

"Where is the exit?" My dad asked keeping an eye on the angry guy looking at him. I eventually turned around and drove back out much to his relief.

When we arrived home, my mom asked, "How did she do?" My dad replied, "She did just fine. I need to call the dentist." Opening his hand, he put a crown from his tooth on the kitchen table. He had been clenching his teeth so tightly together while I drove that he had broken a crown.

I had taken my dad to a place he hadn't wanted to go. Has the Lord ever done that to you? Imagine yourself as a passenger in a car with the Lord behind the wheel. Do you apply the breaks for Him, try to wrench the steering wheel out of his Hand, or explain over and over your fears of "what if?" Or, do you just sit quietly, and know that He is in control? Do you find the good along the way and praise Him for those things? Do you let Him do the driving and have a trust so deep in your spirit that you realize that no matter how many potholes you hit along the way or unfamiliar places you go, He will always remain? His Word says in Hebrews 13:5 that He will never leave us or forsake us. If you really believe the Bible and that verse, you can relax and know that He will help you through whatever you face.

I believe the Lord prefers His children to remain at peace while they travel along through the rough roads of their lives. One time, while I was experiencing a rather trying ordeal that I wanted over, the Lord reminded me how as a child I was always antsy in the car waiting to arrive at the destination. I would ask over and over, "Where are we?" As He brought this memory to my mind, He said to me, "I will let you know when you are there." He does not want us to be in a frazzled condition because it makes us ineffective as Christians. People who do not know Him as their Heavenly Father are looking to us for answers. We are the link between Him and those who don't know Him. Will they come to us for guidance and assistance if we appear to be all wrought up and anxiety riddled? What sets us apart as Christians is that we can go through tough situations and know that the Lord is steering us through, while at the same time, we can extend ourselves to those who are in need.

The ride of Christianity is not for selfish measures. It is about serving Him in a way that brings Him honor and glory. And, relinquishing control of the wheel of our lives over to His more than capable hands is the only way we can truly fulfill what we were put on earth to do. If you can lay down your own itinerary for where you think your life should go and let Him provide the means and transportation to get you there, than He truly is in the driver's seat. (For those of you who need to know ... I passed my driver's test on the first try with a very high score.)

Copyright © by Christine Prueher Share