Driving during the winter months can be quite the exciting adventure in the northern half of the United States.
The impact of rain, snow, ice and heavy metal blades attached to heavy trucks scraping over the surface results in roads speckled with potholes of all shapes and sizes. It is true that potholes aren’t a joy reserved exclusively for winter, but winter is the time when what were little problems in the road become much bigger.
Potholes are no joke. On my wife’s van, we have sustained significant damage to a wheel, the suspension and an axle on different occasions, all resulting from failure to observe and avoid potholes in the road.
Beyond the damage that they can and often do to vehicles, the jarring impact to the bodies in the vehicle is extremely uncomfortable and can even lead to injury.
In the presence of all of these hazards, understanding the damage and discomfort they can cause, traveling around town takes on a whole new feeling. Straight and smooth driving is replaced with regular twists and turns of the steering wheel and tapping of the breaks. Suddenly, years of playing race car video games takes on new worth.
It would be great if all roads were perfectly maintained with flat and smooth surfaces in all places at all times. That, however, is not a reasonable expectation. The passage of time and the impact of the elements takes its toll on everything in this world.
As sure as the seasons change, there will be times when potholes are many. The good news is that spring will soon be upon us, and road crews will be out and about repairing the roads, making them more passable.
Life itself is a journey. Jesus himself said, “Narrow is the road that leads to life.” I think many times, we make the mistake of assuming the nature of the road of which Jesus spoke. We assume if we put our trust in Christ and live our lives in pursuit of him that, though narrow, the road we travel will be as smooth and straight at all times and in all places. But Jesus never promised us an easy ride. As a matter of fact, he promised in this world, we’ll have trouble.
There are seasons when life feels a lot like my drive to work this morning. It is cold, wet and riddled with potholes. We find ourselves being rattled around as we do our dead-level best to get where we’re going while hitting as few potholes as possible along the way.
It can be incredibly frustrating, discouraging and uncomfortable at times, but we need to keep our eyes ahead and press on to the destination before us with hope. This season will pass. The clouds will break. The sun will shine again. And the road will be repaired. It will never be perfect. Evidence of damage done will still exist, but the going will be much less difficult and more enjoyable.
Keep your head up, keep your eyes forward and keep pressing on. Keep walking the narrow, if not bumpy, road.