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It's Been Some Long Days

It's kind of like that feeling you get when you're driving west on I-10 in Texas. San Antonio is little more than a memory and you've just passed a sign that read 'That gas station you just passed is the last sign of life for 247,893 miles. Seriously, break down now and give up all hope.' And a small part of you does give up hope. I remember the last time I got that feeling. I was driving west on I-10 in Texas.

To be accurate, my parents were driving. I was along for my last official family trip with my parents. I'm not really sure why my dad was driving. He could only drive for about 36 minutes before falling asleep. I suppose that wasn't really an issue out here since we just passed that sign and I had given up hope. Plus, with my dad asleep at the wheel, we would make better time. We might have needed our passports by the time he woke up, but no matter.

I don't really like that feeling. But sometimes my prayer life is like that. I can hardly remember when I last heard a barely audible voice giving me direction. Now it feels like I'm straining just to see the next sign that says 'El Paso...farther than you want to believe.'

I just read a quote from a fellow youth pastor (Sarah Purdue, writing for Student Life.) "No matter what you think about God, He is who He says He is. No matter what you think about yourself, you are who God says you are." I like that. It's foundational truth like that which can keep me through the painfully quiet times in my prayer life. Even in places like western Texas.

Comments

Anonymous said…
I've had that feeling too - both on the road and in prayer. And I don't even live in big old Texas - I'm just in Missouri! Got a flat, put on the spare, only to find out it was flat too. And I did not have a cell phone yet at that time - no lifeline!
January 22, 2009 at 7:09 AM
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