Whiteout- Are you in one now?

Last week one evening I found myself driving in a "snow squall/whiteout" with two of my kids in the car only a few short miles from our home. The snow happened suddenly and it was extremely unnerving as we were on a busy road unable to pull over in a safe place. I quickly tried the high beams in order to gain some sort visibility and it only took a split second to realize it made the situation worse.  So, with a deep breath and determination I cautiously proceeded keeping my gaze in front of me as far as I was able to see which was only a few feet. I kept driving forward in an uncomfortable situation trusting there would be time to maneuver the vehicle in the case of a sudden change. I noticed headlights in the median from a few cars that had veered off the road nearly hitting one another. This gave me further assurance it was best not to stop or pull over so that we too would not become a target. We missed the first entrance to our neighborhood even though we have taken it numerous times. It was  hidden and unrecognizable so we made the next turn and made it safely to our home. We all let out a deep sigh of relief and a sense of victory with a fist bump as we pulled into the driveway. We were all relieved and thankful the storm had passed and we made it safely through. We were not eager to jump back into the truck but we knew we had learned a couple things through the experience that would help if we found ourselves in a similar situation.  As the days passed I couldn't help but think when sudden trials and circumstances hit our lives and the storm rages without warning we should keep the same gaze during the storm on Jesus.

Let your eyes look directly forward, and your gaze be straight before you. Ponder the path of your feet; then all your ways will be sure. Do not swerve to the right or to the left turn your foot away from evil. 
Proverbs 4:25-27

A friend of ours describes this passage as "aggressively holding the position." Just like in the whiteout while gripping the wheel trusting my path would be illuminated in time I held the position and proceeded forward. The same is true with personal trials when we have surrendered to Jesus and to His sanctification process in our lives. When we find ourselves in a difficult circumstance we can trust our steps will be illuminated despite the apparent darkness. It's difficult in these moments to aggressively hold the position without desiring our own control, self reliance and comfort that may lead us to veer off the path. (Colossians 3:2) Swerving to the right or to the left during a storm often places us in danger. During a trail this is a playground for the enemy to prowl with doubts, confusion and lies. This leads to a lost gaze from our goal, Jesus. 

We all do it, we all lose our gaze.  We are human bent toward sin and there would be no point in the cross if we could walk through life perfectly without being pruned and the opportunity to be in awe of grace.  Besides, if we never struggled or wrestled with sin or fell short we might be tempted to believe we are not weak, in constant need of a Savior. If you are currently in a storm, coming out of a storm or getting ready to go into one we can glance in our rear view mirror to remember the Lord's faithfulness in the past. Then we can turn our gaze directly in front of us recalling His promises and knowing God is sovereign, God is good and He loves you in the midst of the storm.  If and when you have veered off, grieve over your sin, repent and reset your gaze toward Jesus while resting in the finished work of Christ. 

My sisters and brothers, on the other side of this journey I envision giving you a fist bump (like the one we gave one another once we made it home after the whiteout). If you are reading this and haven't surrendered your heart to Jesus, I pray you will.  You too will go through storms and there is hope that you can know that nothing in your life is wasted. It all has a purpose and will produce an unexplainable joy. This can only come by surrendering your heart to our Creator. I hope if your reading this post we can give one another a victory fist bump one day when we are home in eternity. 

And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. Romans 8:28

(Picture taken a few weeks ago)
Let your eyes look directly forward, and your gaze be straight before you. Ponder the path of your  feet; then all your ways will be sure. Do not swerve to the right or to the left turn your foot away from evil. Proverbs 4:25-27