Thursday, March 30, 2017

New Traffic Patterns Ahead

…There is wonderful joy ahead, even though you must endure many trials for a little while. These trials will show that your faith is genuine. It is being tested as fire tests and purifies gold—though your faith is far more precious than mere gold. So when your faith remains strong through many trials, it will bring you much praise and glory and honor on the day when Jesus Christ is revealed to the whole world.

The looming electronic sign, posted at the entrance of the country road I travel regularly on my daily commute, got my attention.

“New traffic pattern on or about 3/31/17,” it warned.

New traffic pattern on this road? I wondered. What changes could they make to this narrow two-mile two-lane road that meanders through the countryside, skirting farmlands, wetlands, and a couple of small housing communities?

With no sight of construction under way, I was perplexed. What changes can be made in a week’s time? 



A few days later, things began to take shape. Literally. Two new signposts appeared near the entrance of each development. Although the signs themselves were enshrouded with a black veil, I could still make out the familiar octagon shape. Stop signs!

These stop signs will require traffic on the main road to stop when approaching these neighborhoods. Having traveled this road most of my life, I know this will be an adjustment for me, and I now appreciate the warnings from the changeable message signs. They alert me to prepare.

But what if there were no warnings? Would I be able to stop in time? Would I even notice the stop signs?

Life is changeable.

Sometimes we can see the changes taking shape—the stop sign in the distance. Yet unveiled, it alerts us to prepare. A looming career change alerts us to take a class. An aging parent alerts us to prepare our homes to take them in.

Other times, the stop sign suddenly appears out of nowhere, and life as we know it comes to a crashing halt—the unexpected death of a loved one, a debilitating illness, or the loss of a job.

Our traffic patterns change.

Sometimes it doesn’t seem fair. And we may think God isn’t fair—and we’re right.

My pastor says, “He isn’t fair; He is just. If He were fair, He would give us what we deserve.”[i]

But “he does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities. For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love for those who fear him; as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us” (Psalm 103:10-12 NIV).

I am glad God spares me from what I deserve, but why does He allow pain?

Scripture explains: “These trials will show that your faith is genuine. It is being tested as fire tests and purifies gold—though your faith is far more precious than mere gold. So when your faith remains strong through many trials, it will bring you much praise and glory and honor on the day when Jesus Christ is revealed to the whole world.” (1 Peter 1:7 NLT).

God has a purpose in our pain. And He is present in our pain.

“God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble” (Psalm 46:1 NIV).

Life changes, but God doesn’t. He is the same yesterday, today, and forever (Hebrews 13:8). He is always present, always faithful, and always has our best interest at stake, working even the pain for our good (Romans 8:28 NIV).

Dear God, the road of life is hard, but You are with me through it all. May I never lose sight of You when new traffic patterns appear, for “there is wonderful joy ahead” (1 Peter 1:6) when my faith remains strong. Amen.





[i] For more on this topic, listen to Pastor Tom Cogle’s message, “Heartless God,” #4 in the I Want To Believe, But… series.

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