A season of realignment

“For I know the plans I have for you,” says the LORD. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.” – Jeremiah 29:11 (NLT)
     
Many are the plans in the mind of a man, but it is the purpose of the LORD that will be established.   – Proverbs 19:21 (RSV)
      
I call my Explorer my klunker. Because it literally klunks when I turn the wheel or drive over a rough section of road. Poor thing. It’s 14 years old, which is getting up in vehicle years.
      
My husband told me quite some time ago to make an appointment to get it aligned. I did, but the guy told me something was wrong with a tie rod end or something like that, so we cancelled the alignment. Now that hubby’s fixed the tie rod end (or something like that), I still haven’t gotten it aligned. But it’s not too bad—yet. I’m used to driving it. You see, there’s a trick to steering a misaligned vehicle.
      
When a vehicle is aligned, you can hold the steering wheel straight and the vehicle will go straight. But when it isn’t aligned, you have to hold the steering wheel in a slight turn to keep the vehicle going straight. If you hold it straight, you’ll end up where you don’t want to go, like in the ditch or on the other side of the road. Alignment keeps the steering straight.
      
Now, these Pennsylvania potholes are hard on vehicles, especially alignment. Hit one too hard, and bingo! your vehicle’s out of alignment. The only way to correct it is to take it to a mechanic, who has the expertise and the tools to realign it properly again. The only thing is I have to wait in a dirty waiting room while it’s done. (Have you ever seen a clean waiting room in an auto service place?) And, besides, I don’t like waiting. But eventually it’ll have to be done.
      
This whole year has been a season of realignment for me. Health challenges have been like potholes, knocking me out of alignment, slowing me down and even stopping me. I had to resign from teaching, give up my radio program, and trim other activities from my schedule. My life is not what I expected it to be. I’m in a waiting room, where I’m learning to balance my life with work, rest and leisure activities. I’m amazed at how busy I was at things that were good, but no longer God’s purpose for me. I’m abashed at how little time I took for fun. I realize that now. Slowly I’m getting my energy back.
      
And with it a clearer vision. You see, the master Mechanic is using my fatigue to realign my life with His purposes. To force me to stop, look at where I’m headed, and get my steering straight again.
      
I thought I would teach forever. I thought I’d do my radio program forever. But God had other plans.
      
Are you in a season of realignment? Trust the master Mechanic. He knows what He’s doing.
      
      
Lord, keep me roadworthy and aligned with Your purposes. Amen.
       

Special-Tea: Read Genesis 12:1-9