Steering Problems

Two days in a row I've gone Christmas shopping, and both times I've ended up with shopping carts that were...shall we say...difficult to manuever. Apparently I have a knack for selecting defective carts. Even if I put a bum cart back and select another, I still somehow end up with a less than desirable cart.

When I get a "difficult" cart, my travails up and down the aisles don't go as smoothly or as easily as I would like. I often have to keep a tight grip on the cart in order to make turns or keep it from drifting to the opposite side of the aisle. Yesterday in the parking lot of one store, I loosened up a bit and my rebellious cart went off course, heading straight for another car. Luckily, I recovered the cart before it could do any damage.

I wonder how often God has to tighten His grip on our lives because we are difficult to "steer". Our reluctance to follow His lead, to go where He wants us to go, may cause Him to have to push us harder. Sometimes, like a runaway cart, we run away from God's steering and end up careening into someone else, causing damage in their lives as well as ours. If only we'd loosen up a bit and just do what He says to do and go where He says to go, our journey would be so much smoother.

Funny how God can teach me things even while I'm out shopping...