By Melody Currier
Director of Operations and Membership
When I moved to Brampton over two years ago, I was excited to see the highway I would be using was undergoing an expansion project. Two lanes were being added in both directions! The promise of a speedier commute was alluring… and imminent, or so they said.
That was over two years ago.
Most days, I just avoid the 410—I never know what lane will be temporarily closed. Sometimes there is a new “just for now” lane, marked by bright orange paint. Sometimes there are simply fewer lanes.
To speed up my commute, I rely on Google Maps. (Who knew there could be so many different ways to get home from work!) Sometimes it lies to me and the suggested route takes longer than it should. But hope springs eternal, so last week I took a risk and picked the 410 for my route home. And could it be? The highway was open! What joyous freedom I experienced as I buzzed down the highway, free of the usual congestion… and then I got to the bottleneck. Urgh.
But as I sat there, my hopes for an easy journey home dashed all over the highway, I reflected back over the last couple years of my commute, and I saw some things I hadn’t seen before. I saw some parallels with God’s work in my life.
Where am I following my own lead on side roads to get to my destination instead of staying on the path God has designed for me—just for me?
What do I do when I feel the path God is leading me down is going nowhere? What might God want me to learn as I experience detours and bottlenecks?
And those temporary lanes marked by bright orange paint? What markers is God showing me along the way, nudges to slow down and take the scenic route instead of being in such a hurry to reach my destination.
As I prepare my heart for Advent and this season of “waiting in anticipation,” I am praying that the Holy Spirit’s gift of patience would take root and grow in me. I don’t want to miss the joys and adventure God has planned for me in my rush to just “get there.”
