Opening Prayer
Dear God,
Thank You for the opportunity to learn how to drive and build my confidence. It’s more than just driving, it’s the fear of being out of control. It’s the fear of failing. It’s the fear for my safety. It’s the fear that I’m not enough, and worse of all: the fear that it’ll never change. Yet, You say in Your perfect Word (1 John 4:18) that “There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.” Please perfect me in love so that I can “drive out fear” (get it! Cause I’m driving). Give me courage to try again, to embrace my limitations, and to be humble to learn.
In Jesus’ name I pray,
Amen
My Journey is My Own and No One Needs To Compare
I have to-date taken 17 driving lessons! Maybe that’s a lot more than you’ve taken. I’ll have to add that these driving lessons are the only time I’ve driven. I don’t practice outside of that because my parents are understandably wary of taking me out on the road with no brakes.
I felt embarrassed for a while: why do I need to take so many? Why are other people just able to drive? But I think it’s important to remember that my journey is mine! Someone might be ready in 1 lesson. Someone might be ready in 50 lessons. I took 10 lessons/5 sessions last year, and I still felt shaky when I finished. This summer, I scheduled 15 lessons! I can finally say I feel (more) ready to drive, and my instructor even said that I could be ready for my license.
My friend, Nicole, and I were talking about playing tennis (something else I’m not good at). I told her about my lack of skills, and the truth is I feel bad that I’m not sporty. Hand-eye coordination isn’t my strong suit. You won’t catch me at the Olympics anytime soon. But she told me some things:
It’s okay
There’s other things I’m good at that are harder for other people
It was a good reminder because being bad at anything - sports or driving - can make me feel like a whole failure. That’s all or nothing thinking. I’m either good at everything or good at nothing. It’s also feeding a lie that says I can’t improve even if I tried.
I’m here to tell myself - and you! - that there are some things that will be harder for me than others. I’m not the most sporty gal. I’m never gonna be a F1 driver. But I can be able to play decently if I take some classes and practice. I can drive myself to Trader Joe’s if I go over the route and drive safely.
There’s a healthy middle ground we can reach!
Being Okay with Being Bad at Stuff
It’s okay to be bad at some things. That doesn’t mean I’m bad.
There's always a learning curve. I’m allowed to feel frustrated. I might not see progress as quickly as I want to, but it’s not just about reaching a goal. It’s about overcoming my fears every time I take the wheel.
The Stuff I’m Good At
Like Nicole said, it’s good to have a balanced view of yourself.
I’m good at lots of things, and when I’m struggling to pick up a skill it’s important to remember that.
For example, I’m really good at approaching people and talking to them. I’m good at making conversations. I’m good at praying. I’m good at making yummy food. I’m good at taking notes. I’m good at journaling and blogging. I’m good at taking walks everyday. I’m good at being patient and kind. I’m good at reading my Bible daily.
I wasn’t always good at these things. I’m also not perfect in all these areas too.
Progress over perfection. That’s the mantra I speak over myself.
Hebrews 12:2 “looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.”
If Jesus finishes our faith, why do I drive myself (another driving pun :p) crazy trying to do it all? Trying to be perfect? Best daughter. Best student. Best friend. Best dog owner. Best everything. I will never be that girl because I’m not perfect. I have to give myself the grace (name pun…) to fail, to strive, to go back five steps and then forward five steps, and keep going.
Never Giving Up
I’m good at not giving up. That doesn’t mean I finish everything I start, sometimes I just can’t. It means that I keep believing in God to hold me up even if things don’t work out. The bad grade. The miscommunication. The break up. The mistake.
God is working every moment, non-stop, to make me into who I need to be.
I’m not going to give up driving. I’m going to keep trying, keep improving, and keep believing that God is with me.
I’m not giving up because I’m so great and wonderful.
I’m not giving up because God Himself empowers me with His Holy Spirit.
God gives me the staying power to fight for the best of life, the abundance Jesus came to deliver on a cross, and I will keep going in spite of the failures. No disappointment can stop me from my destiny. What God has for me is mine: the driver’s license, the optometry degree, the career, the ministry, the prayer life, the hopes, and all the dreams.
I hope you know that God offers that to you too. It isn’t an exclusive offer. There’s no expiration to this wonderful gift of continually walking with God in all that I do: school, work, friends, family, finances, driving, sports, food, health, relationships, and eternity.
This is just one of the millions of ways God gives me confidence!
Closing Prayer
Dear God,
Thank You for giving me a balanced view of myself. I’m able to see myself in all the good and bad, and I know that I’m definitely far from perfect but that no longer condemns me. I can make peace with being bad at things because You’re so good! Your kindness is the example I need to follow for myself and others. You give me the strength to continue, to go from glory to glory.
Love,
Grace
Comments
Post a Comment