Driving under the influence

I love this journey on the road to glory. It is filled with all kinds of bumps, curves, crossroads and even potholes along the way. To say the least, it is exciting because one never knows what will appear around the corner.

For many years, I chose to drive this journey in my very safe and efficient -- let’s say --Honda. The key word here is safe. I cruised along, not going too fast or too slow but just sort of humming along. But then I had a taste of something very different, a taste of real driving that involved some risks and, yes, some difficulties. It was exciting and even exhilarating at times. What was the difference?

When you get your new credit cards, you usually have to call a phone number and activate the card for it to become usable. I equate living the Spirit-filled life to activating your card. The good news is there are no limits upon activation. When I was able to fully understand the Spirit-filled life, the passion for this journey was kicked up a notch or two, and it continues to escalate as I move in His sway (so to speak).

The verses that truly describe my life as it has transitioned from struggle to freedom come from Psalm 40:1-3. Yes, even as a Christian, after coming to the Lord and safely cruising along in my safety zone, I was miserable! Everything came to a head when my life as a Christian was miserable and I wondered just what the point to the Christian life was if I was so miserable. I figured that if this was the journey for me, I better go deeper and put God to the test by getting to know Him more. It was there that God intervened and met me head-on as I was crying out in deep distress over a prodigal son, daughter and fractured marriage. But get a load of these verses. Psalm 40:1-3 says, “I waited patiently for the Lord; and He inclined to me and heard my cry. He brought me up out of the pit of destruction, out of the miry clay, and He set my feet upon a rock making my footsteps firm. He put a new song in my mouth, a song of praise to our God; many will see and fear and will trust in the Lord.”

The reality of those Scriptures suddenly upgraded my vehicle to a Jaguar. God revealed Himself to me in a very exciting way as I cried out to Him to save my marriage, reminding Him of my commitment to my husband and my covenant that I would never again divorce. He prompted me to pray for my husband like never before, and I prayed the blood of Jesus over my marriage and home. Today I love my husband like I never have and our relationship is solid and joy-filled. My daughter is a beautiful wife and mother who came back to the Lord after her own series of hardships, and we are extremely proud of her. I love how God has developed in her a heart of prayer. Now I am still waiting on my difficult prodigal son, but somehow I know it is coming!

You will need to refuel now and again because you can’t run on empty. You can really expend a lot of energy on these exciting journeys, and that is when the Lord says, “Come and let Me fill you up full to overflowing.” It is in that overflowing that we are able to pour out and take risks we never dreamed or imagined that we could.

Let me encourage you to get out of the safety zone and go to where God is calling you to live and enjoy serving Him. Driving under the influence is not status quo or easy. But it will be a life filled with amazing opportunities as God shows Himself strong, empowering you to step out into the Spirit-filled journey.