Every athlete exercises self-control in all things. They do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable. -1 Corinthians 9:25 (ESV)

Sometimes, I find myself slipping in my spiritual journey when I’m behind the wheel. Little pressures and stressors I’ve accumulated and shouldered are weighing on me because I haven’t properly given them to the Lord. And I’m suddenly not wanting to wait in morning traffic like everyone else…and I try to find a faster lane.

You know what happens next. The lane I choose is now the slowest lane, so I dart over to another…and that becomes the slowest lane. People I impatiently left behind a few seconds ago are now many car lengths ahead of me in their lanes.

Clearly, I wasn’t going with the flow of traffic, and trying to make it about me. I wanted to just get the irritating now over with and get to my destination immediately…but the flow decided otherwise. So, I got over myself and went with it.

Just like in our spiritual journey, we need to go with the flow, and trust God’s river will carry us to the next thing He has laid before us, rather than trying to get there in our own strength and timing. His timing and plans are perfect, and if we just flow with Him, rather than impulsively wasting our time and energy thrashing against it, we’ll get to His next thing in our lives…and we can look back one day and thank Him for carrying us the whole way.