Driving Blindly… Hello Hump Day Readers. I have an interesting story to get you “over the hump” this week! This past week’s weather has again created havoc in our country—well, actually around the world. It seems lately California is on the list to get battered by more rain than they have ever seen for years. I watched the news last night and I was wondering if people have lost their brain cells! There is 6 inches or more of water on the road, and they are trying to drive in it. They are going through roadblocks as well. One family almost died as they were swept into a raging river. I wondered how they could even see in the deluge? But, that is exactly the title of this devotion, they were driving blindly.

When Al and I moved out here in 1991, we knew very little about sand and dust storms. It didn’t take long for us to realize how often the western desert states get them and how deadly they were. Like our Wisconsin snow storms, danger is there and driving blindly is not recommended. Believe me, a shovel doesn’t cut it when you plow into heavy snow!

In November 1991 a freak dust storm was shown on TV and we were dumb-struck at the damage. This storm caused a massive pileup along Interstate 5 near Coalinga, California. Over a dozen people were killed, and many more were injured as the massive cloud reduced visibility to zero. And, by the end of the storm, a three-mile trail of twisted, burning vehicles lay in its wake. It was then that, what happened, began to make sense. It wasn’t just one collision. Rather, over the course of the storm, motorists continued to drive blindly ahead into the disaster. Al and I quickly learned about what to do if we were ever in one of these storms; in Arizona we call them a ‘haboob’ and yes, they are deadly.

All these weather scenarios make me wonder why on earth are these people driving blindly? And then I thought about it in a spiritual way and I found myself doing the same thing, but this time driving blindly into a spiritual disaster. Have you ever done that? You may be hurting or wrestling with depression—we have tons of scenarios where we get blindsided and do the dumbest things!

How do we steer clear of being spiritually blindsided? The first action is to dive into Scripture where God’s Word gives us the strength we need. 2 Timothy 3:14-17 is a favorite of mine. Paul was tutoring this young pastor, knowing it would be too easy for him to get blindsided. The Message Bible is clear: 

“But don’t let it faze you. Stick with what you learned and believed, sure of the integrity of your teachers—why, you took in the sacred Scriptures with your mother’s milk! There’s nothing like the written Word of God for showing you the way to salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. Every part of Scripture is God-breathed and useful one way or another—showing us truth, exposing our rebellion, correcting our mistakes, training us to live God’s way. Through the Word we are put together and shaped up for the tasks God has for us.”

Using these wise words from Paul, we have the ammunition to “steer clear of being spiritually blindsided.” First, we must stop trusting in ourselves and let God’s Word lead us. Second, we have to get rid of a terrible habit that we easily fall into “I did it because it “feels right.” This is us driving blindly into life and the outcome is never good. Instead, we put feelings aside because we know what is right according to God’s Word. Third, we must remind ourselves we are not alone in our choices. The Holy Spirit is always our guide, it is our choice to take that wisdom instead of our own. Then, when the things of the world keep us from seeing clearly, we can trust God’s Word to bring clarity and conviction!

So, how is your driving? Are you out there blindly trying to find a fix for your problems? Are you so busy you rush from one thing to another until you hit a road-block? Don’t let the world suck you into such blindness. Ask God to fill you with confidence and trust in the path he has laid out for you. Take the time to check your blind spots and don’t let them fester. Embrace God’s wisdom, clarity and conviction—they are there whenever you need it. It’s time to take off the blinders, and live in the glorious light of Christ! AMEN.