“Be still, and know that I am God.”  Psalms 46:10a

Recently I got picked up at an airport by a friend of mine who is a pastor in a city 2 hours away.  After grabbing a bite to eat we jumped on the freeway headed back to his church.  Because we were talking and catching up after not having seen each other for several months we missed one of our turns, but instead of turning back, we decided to keep going and take another route.  Although we knew this change would take a little longer we had no idea how much time it would truly take for when we got to the road we were going to use, it was closed and we were forced onto a detour.

It turns out that we were not the only ones trying to use that road. Four lanes of traffic were funneled into two, and eventually into one.  Traffic slowed to a crawl.  Although the signs indicated that the detour would get us headed in the right direction shortly, our 2-hour trip turned into an 8-hour trip.

As you can imagine the ridiculously slow traffic frustrated both of us.  Traffic jams are painful anytime, and we were tempted to gripe and complain, but when we realized that there was nothing that we could do, we seemed to shift our attitudes and settle in.  The conversation improved and we really began to enjoy each other’s company. We laughed, we told stories, and we talked extensively.

Because I own a get-it-done kind of personality I don’t do nothing well.  I am always driving for the next goal, developing the next strategy, or writing the next chapter, and this affects my relationships.  I have the ability to be around people, but because I am always on the go, both physically and mentally, I can keep conversations shallow and friendships controlled.  But, these eight hours in the car didn’t afford me the opportunity to do anything other than just hang out with my friend and because I was able to slow down we connected on a different and very enjoyable level.

Once I finally got into my hotel room I began to think about how this is so similar to my relationship with Christ.  Because I am so driven and aggressive in everything I do, I fly into my time with God in a way that keeps it nice, neat, quick, and shallow.  I read my Bible and pray, but don’t sit and enjoy just being with Him.  I invite God to be a part of my day but don’t notice that He walks right next to me all through it.

My trip with my friend could have been excruciating, but it turned out great.  Not only did I reconnect with Him, but I learned something about my relationships, my spiritual life, and myself.  Because of that experience, I have decided to enjoy unexpected “detours” and even to prioritize pauses in my day that allow me to reconnect with Christ.

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