Speed Bumps

We all encounter speed bumps in life.  They may come upon us unexpectedly, or we slow down before we get to them.  No matter how we get over them, the point is we must move forward and travel.  As the end of summer approaches, I have reflected on my life and realized that when I am on the other side of the speed bump, I can look back and see the progress that I have made. 

Speed bumps can come in many forms.  They come in the forms of health problems, people who criticize, people who threaten us; they come with failures at work or school, failures in relationships, or any other burdens that try to divert us from the road we are travelling.  Speed bumps slow us down, and sometimes we just may need to slow down and cautiously go forward while taking a moment to remember how we got to this part in our journey. 

During the trials in life that are speed bumps, I need to remember to be articulate, wise, and strong.  I need to lean on Jesus.  I need to not allow others to zap the energy out of me, and trust me; they will do everything they can to do that.  Why?  In short, if they zap the energy out of me, then they stop me from doing God’s will.  It’s all over the Bible with several characters encountering the same people, just with different names, faces, and living at a different time in history.  Like any speed bump in the road, we need to just drive forward and continue to the destination.  There is a future generation on the other side waiting for us.  We don’t forget the other side of the speed bump, but instead, we pass on what we have learned from that side.  We leave the unkind words and actions behind us, learn from them, and understand how they can strengthen us in the future.

When I encounter speed bumps, I must remember that although I feel alone, I am not.  Not only is Jesus with me, but also I need to look for the people that Jesus provides for me.  It’s so much easier to get over a speed bump with others because we all encourage each other.  We cannot do it on our own.  We need Jesus and people.  It took me several years to learn that, but at least I learned it.  Now, it’s time that I put it into complete practice.