STAY IN YOUR LANE

Do you know what lane you are in? Is it the lane you should be in, or have you drifted into the wrong lane?

Matthew 7:13-14 Enter through the narrows gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it. Notice it does not say that the road is easy or straight. Sometimes our roads are full of speed bumps, curves and other obstacles. They can come in many forms, sickness, becoming a care giver to an aging parent, moving to a new town starting a new job and multiple other bumps and curves.

Are we alone in our struggle to stay in our own lane? No, we are not. King David did not stay in his lane even though he was called a man after God’s own heart. Even before David, Saul also failed to stay in his lane.

There are many examples of people who did not maintain their lane but today I will focus on King David. In II Samuel 11:2, we find King David knowingly slept with another man’s wife. He did this after his afternoon nap and he saw her on a roof top bathing. Do you think he had been spending any time with God at that point? Had he become complacent, lazy, bored, or perhaps arrogant? What was it that the man after God’s own heart not only slept with another man’s wife, but he also had the man killed when he could not trick him into sleeping with his own wife? Uriah, was an honorable soldier who would not drink or have relations with his wife while the men he was fighting along side were still on the battlefield. David left his lane. He drifted into Uriah’s lane. God loved David very much and even though he forgave David when he repented, David and Bathsheba both paid the consequences for their actions and lost the child that they had conceived.

This leaves me questioning, where is my lane? How do I find it? Is my lane on the narrow or path or the wide one? Is it even possible to stay in my own lane? I mean even David could not do it. so who am I to think I can?

Yes, it is possible to stay in my lane. Job did it. Esther did it. Daniel did it. They all had reason not to stay in their own lane. They did not falter they maintained. They would not dishonor God even in their sufferings.

Romans 3:21-23 tells us all have sinned and fall short of the Glory of God. So, if we have put our faith in Christ, we will have started on the narrow path. In today’s world it is getting harder and harder to try to stay on the correct path let alone our own lane. Stay with me…..

Many people believe in and worship Jesus. They come from all walks of life. I know there are many people who have justified sliding or compromising or even changing the word of God to suit their own desires. Even myself I suppose if I am honest. We question things don’t we. We try to ride as close to the edge of the lane that we can.

One question I have thought of is triggered by Proverbs 16:33. It says that we may throw the dice, but God decides how they fall. So, should we gamble or is it not allowed? What is the stock market? Isn’t it also a gamble? Why are they different? Why do people judge you for throwing dice but not for buying stocks? What about drinking, or being whiny or being critical or thinking we are better than everyone else because we don’t do any of those things?

The world around is changing rapidly, do we change with it? So hard to know sometimes. So lately I am struggling to figure out my lane.

But then God. I was pondering on all this, and a Crowder song came on. Good God Almighty. A line in it says I get amnesia I forget you keep coming around. I reminded myself of all the things God has brought me through. Right now, my lane is full of bumps and curves, and it has been difficult to not run off the edge of my lane and crash. Thankfully, God used Pastor to use me for a Wednesday night message, this one as a matter of fact. I get inspirational messages or an encouraging text or a call from a friend that needs my help, this guides me back to the lane I have chosen. I know he will keep me from crashing if I rely on him and not on myself. My lane may not be the same as yours. You may not believe in God, but he believes in you. Find your lane.

I encourage you find your lane. Be a light in the darkness. Encourage others. There is enough darkness, confusion and sadness in this world. Do not give in to it. Find your lane and drive in it. Please do not judge me for my lane or try to force me into yours. I will do the same. I will tell you that Jesus died for you, but I will not beat you with it. I will not force you to choose my lane, please do not force me into yours.

If you are struggling finding your lane, I pray that you find a way to know what your lane should be. My roadmap may not be for you. For me I read my Bible, I do pray, I plan, I continue learning new things. If one way does not work for me, I find another way to maintain my lane. I can only maintain if I know which lane, I am in.

I leave you with this if you are in your lane stay in it, unless you find yourself in the wrong lane and then if you do find yourself in the wrong lane turn around or switch lanes do not stay in the wrong lane. Do not try to force someone to be in that lane with you.

FIND THE RIGHT LANE FOR YOU AND STAY IN IT!