Have you ever taken a road trip with more than just one person? I love road trips, especially when there are more than just two people in the car, however; I've come to notice that each person plays a certain role in the car ride to wherever the destination may be.

 

First you have the driver: They're in control and even though they have directions they can make any turn they want. The original destination may be San Diego, but if the driver desides that you're going to San Francisco all you can do is enjoy the ride .

 

Second you have the passenger. Now this person plays a pretty large role. They are to keep the driver entertained, hold conversationThey get the best seat on the road trip because they can see everything, but don't have to stay focused on the roadand if they want, they can take a nap.

 

Thirdly you have the back seat driversorry.. back seat passenger usually the person who opts to sit in the back seat is pretty chill. Naps often, doesn't really participate in the driving experience other than keeping up some sort of conversation, but its not required.

however, there are the rare occasions where the back seat passenger thinks they are the driver and tries to give out directions which can be quite annoying.

 

How is our faith like that? 

 

Well, our often times in life we try to be the driver, but really who wants all that responsibility?

The people who opt for the driver position are control freaks, have to have everything their way and underneath all that lies fear. Fear of relinquishing everything to someone who they may not trust 100%

fear that something may happen that they're not totally comfortable with

These are the people that think they're experiencing God and life to the fullest, but are short sided. They may get to the ultimate destination, but they'll never know the true joy of enjoying a life driven by God.

Onto the back seat passenger

These people tend to be people in life and faith that don't really question anything. A lot of people in church are back seat passengers they're simply there for the enjoyment of being there

they sit in the seats, raise their hands when it seems right, say "Amen" when everyone else does.

When it comes to their personal relationship with God, well.... a lot of times they're asleep

They don't really know God and they may get to the destination, but will have no clue how they got there. They may have asked for salvation a long time ago (thats when they agreed to go on this road trip)

or maybe they made a commitment to ministry, but somewhere down the road they don't even know what happened or how it got to the point that it is

Now a side to this back seat passenger is the back seat driver

This person wants to control some of the decisions in life, not all of them but the ones that seem important or maybe they've gone down this road before and they think they know which turns to take

sometimes this person may come across bossy but really they're just concerned that the right decisions will be made at the right time

Lastly we have the passenger. They're along for the ride. They trust the driver with everything and know that its going to be okay. For me, I absolutely trust when my friend Jo'd drives. I know that she's going to get me there safe (wherever there may be) but how did we get to the point of trust? We've traveled together so many times that we know each other and what each other is going to need and want

Is your life like that with God?

Do you allow him to be the driver of the road trip in your life? Have you spent enough time letting him be in control that you know Him? That he knows you? Or do you jump in the driver seat trying to take control of every turn?  Or do you sit back and nap until you think that God is taking you down the wrong road and that's when you all of a sudden decide its a good time to talk to Him?

What position do you take in the road trip of life?