A Life Lesson

Hi guys so this was a post I put on Facebook in April. I was reading over it and even now I’m still learning from it. This was another valuable lesson while on this journey called life. I wanted to share it with you all. I hope it helps you like its helped me.

In April  my car broke down. At the time I didn’t know that this would be a reflection of what would come next in my life. Let me explain.

I was driving my children to the cinema for an after school treat as they had been so good. Suddenly the car had no power at all. The engine just turned off. No power no lights nothing. Where the car stopped no cars could get past me. Instantly people started beeping there horn at me. My children where in the back of the car saying mum what are we going to do. I jumped out the car. The man in the car behind was shouting at me and waving his arms. A car stopped that was going in the opposite direction and although not affected by me breaking down she stopped to watch what was happening when she could have kept driving. With the man shouting and people beeping, everyone looking and my children ready to panic I turned around, held my door and started pushing the car on my own to bump it on the pavement. I hit the pavement once and the car bounced back. I hit it twice and three men came running over. The people stopped beeping but they kept looking. The men that came to help told me to get in the car and with ease they pushed me onto the pavement. I got out and said thank you and as quick as they came to help me they were gone. The pressure I was feeling was so intense. It was raining and I shut the car door and stood outside in the rain for a good 10mins. I walked round my car. I didn’t want my children to see me cry. I felt angry that the man was shouting at me and the women stopped her car just to watch me struggle. I felt like I didn’t want my children to see me struggle. They have such high expectations of me I don’t want them to see me fail.

So after walking in circles round my car I got back in. The children were fine. I looked out my window and I had broken down next to a garage. I was happy. I took the children out the car. We went to the garage and told them what had happened. The two men looked at me told me my alternator had gone then asked me what car I had. They looked at each other and laughed. They told me they couldn’t help me. (Turns out there are seven variations of alternator for my car). I was upset and went back to the car. The children were getting upset because there plan had to be changed. I tried other things to get the car sorted but I had to call the RAC in the end. The thing was I had to still wait over an hour on hold on the phone to the RAC before they even answered. My phone battery was dying but I was able to use the life in the car battery to keep it charged. When the RAC answered it still took them over an hour to get to me. Then they charged my battery enough for me to drive home and they followed me home. We were safe. We broke down at 3.45pm and got home after 8pm.

So recently so many situations have come up in my life and its been so hard I wanted to give up. Life is not always bad but when it goes bad it really goes bad. I felt confused. How did I go from a place of perfect peace to a place of wanting to give up so fast? What did I do wrong? Then I found the lesson in my car situation.

So lets look at the principal of the situation. The people beeping and watching me represents the enemy, people waiting to see you fail and situations sent to annoy you and disturb your peace. My car represents the presence of God. My children represent the people that look up to you and watch your journey. My phone represents prayer. The mechanics represent the people that you may go to for help but will let you down or just not want to help you.

So this is my life using the principles of the car situation. The enemy threw a situation at me to disturb my peace. Instead of getting into an argument with the people shouting I pushed into the presence of God. I didn’t have to push long and God sent help. The force of having to push took a lot out of me. I stayed around the presence of God but not in it. I hid from the people who were watching my journey. I didn’t want the people around me to see me vulnerable and weak. I’ve been for help and got let down. People have seen me go for help and I felt shame. I had to get back into the presence and get into prayer.

What did I learn?

1) Now I CHOOSE to push. Sometimes there are points in a situation that calls for instant help. But you still have a part to play. The situation may not be over. Don’t give up on your part. After you have pushed into the presence get straight in and close the door. Stay there. Psalm 91. He who DWELLS in the secret place. There is safety in the presence of God but you have to get in.

2) Situations come to disturb your peace. Guard your heart. Proverbs 4 vs 23. If a situation does disturb you get to the root of why it does and deal with it.

3) I sat on my phone waiting for the RAC. I didn’t hang up because I knew they would come get me. Pray without ceasing 1 Thessalonians 5 vs 17. Even if you feeling like your praying and God is not answering keep praying. God hears you. Don’t be double minded it will make you unstable. James 1 vs 8. If you believe God will come keep praying. Pushing in prayer is hard sometimes. When my battery was low I plugged my phone into my car. Plug into the presence of God. Keep waiting on the Lord he will give you strength. Psalms 27 vs 14. Cast your cares on Him. God does care. 1 Peter 5 vs 7.

4) Watch your reactions. Sometimes we may delay help because of our reaction. If I had started shouting back at the man shouting at me I wonder if those other men that ran to my aid would have been so quick to come help. Be slow to anger. Proverbs 14 vs 29. There is wisdom in restraining your mouth. Proverbs 10 vs 19. Its not always that you did something wrong. It wasn’t my fault that my car broke down. It wasn’t my fault that the children were upset that there plans had to be changed. But I am responsible for how I react to situations.

5) Stay accountable to wise council. When I recently tried to get out and stand in the rain and hide myself one of the people I’m accountable to told me I don’t get to do that. I was told that I would not be allowed to throw away all the lessons I had learned so far because I got stuck at a place I’ve never been before. I really needed that. It was true. I felt stuck in my journey as I’ve never been where I am. Wise council told me to keep walking. I’m not alone I don’t have to hide anymore. This is NOT a repeat cycle. Keep walking forward.

So here I am. Sitting in my secret place under the shadow of the almighty. He is my refuge and strength. Its a little funny how I tried to hide but now I’m here being fully transparent. I pray my transparency helps you to push. Remember you are not alone. I pray my life speaks life to yours. Let your light shine.

Have an amazing day xx