The great bee analogy

I was driving home the other day, going 70mph, with the window down when all of a sudden a bee flew in the car. He immediately flew into the backseat area, thankfully, and watching him in the rear view mirror I could see it was a full fledged bumblebee - black with yellow stripes - beautiful, but entirely unwelcome. In a matter of a few seconds I became a danger on the road. I didn't swerve or anything, but I spent more time watching him in my rear view mirror than I did watching the road.

And as I drove, watching this bee, I made the spiritual connection.

I've got a lot of bees in my life. I'm barreling down the road, (or worse, stopping my life entirely) completely preoccupied by my own personal bees. Maybe it's a job bee, maybe it's a money bee, maybe it's a house bee, but whatever bee it is, it's got my attention focused on it rather than the road before me.

I don't know that I'm able to fully explain my bee analogy, so you might need to pray before you read this.

When the bee came closer, I slowed down. How many times have I allowed circumstances to dictate my speed?

When the bee went closer to the window, I sped up hoping the wind would encourage him out the window. How many times have I tried to manipulate circumstances to work my will in them because I was troubled by them?

As these thoughts floated through my mind while I drove down the road watching my bee, I decided I wouldn't watch the bee anymore. And it was harder than it seems. And I told myself that it doesn't matter if I have a bee in my car, I still have to be a safe driver. I could hurt others if I go from being a capable driver to a fool swerving all over the road swatting at a bee. *Please see the spiritual analogy in that*

It was instinctive for me to focus on the bee. But I needed to focus on the road.
It was instinctive for me to become anxious. But I needed to stay calm with assurance trusting that the bee can only sting me, nothing more. It was just a bee for crying out loud.

It's just a bill, it's just a ticket, it's just a spot on an xray, it's just an argument, it's just a job, it's just a leaky roof, it's just a tumor, it's just someone elses opinion, it's just a bad grade, it's just a flubbed speech, it's just a failed inspection, it's just a clicking sound coming from the motor, it's just a pink slip --- for cryin' out loud.

Here's the choice I had to make, and everyone has to make: Am I going to let any thing, any one, any circumstance keep me from walking my Christian walk, doing Gods will, and chasing Gods presence as fast, and as hard, as passionately, and as single-mindedly as God would have me do it. I'm not saying all these other things will keep me from doing it completely. I'm saying they'll slow me down, and steal my focus on the goal. I choose instead to keep going with blinders on. Not caring about the bees in my life.

I can already tell, it's going to take a mighty move of God for me to be able to do that. But I have made the decision. Now it's time to drive.