Not this exit

I hate being a passenger in other peoples' cars ... and struggle with both keeping my mouth shut and with resisting the urge as a passenger to grab the wheel and start steering. That's the same reason I don't like flying in commercial airliners.

The answer is Yes, I have a few control issues.

Accepting that God is in control ain't always easy, and there's plenty of tufts of my hair on the floor to prove it.

When we're trying to become more like Christ, struggling with irritations and aggravations while watching familiar shortcuts (lying, selfishness, stealing) and exits (sexual immorality, anger, drugs) flash by, sometimes we feel entitled to grab the wheel and start steering in the direction of our choice.

We find ourselves honoring God with our words but ignoring him with our deeds ... because we think all-encompassing grace entitles us to ignore the Holy Spirit for the occasional, (albeit intentional) sin or "slip up" ... especially if the temptation is something we want that's creating a dizzying distraction.

Before grabbing for the wheel I'm learning to ask myself, "Will what I'm wanting, saying or doing work to glorify God ... or am I ignoring the Holy Spirit and focused on satisfying me instead?"

How would my answer satisfy Christ? Or am I intentionally turning my back on him to do or get what I want?

Christ was tempted but he never sinned, never turned his back on God and never put worldly concerns or interests first ... not even to save himself from the cross.

What goal should be more important to a Christian than trying to become more like Christ? Not just when it suits us, not just in church, not just in how we behave toward other believers ... but in every way?

Christ came to serve. Christ came to us from love. Christ taught us to be humble and was clear about how we should treat each other.

It comes down to forgetting all about "What I want," letting go of the steering wheel and living instead for "I will."