Thank you so much ezrider. I receive your post with a glad heart. I used to be extremely guilty in this area. I don't like to glorify my sin, so I'll just say that "road rage" was a big, dark hole that I used to fall into without giving it much thought until the incident was over. Then I felt terrible. I found in the past that a spontaneous action of another driver, lets say, cutting me off on the freeway, I went into a rage. I can't tell you of the many times I spent on my knees begging God to deliver me from this terrible sin. I can't remember when, but one day I was headed to work, and a lady almost hit the front of my truck as she tried to merge into traffic right in front of me. I simply slowed down to give her room, she waved to thank me, and did that make me feel good. I praised the Lord that He had worked in my life to deliver me. Ever since that day, I have been a much better driver. I even obey speed limits, come to a full stop at stop signs etc. Boy, when God delivered me from road rage, He threw in a bunch of other laws that He wanted me to obey and gave me the desire to obey them with a glad heart. It feels wonderful to know that I am pleasing my Lord instead of grieving Him.
I say all of this to compliment you on your post. What you said is the absolute truth. Thank you so much for the wisdom God has given to you and your willingness to share it.
Thank you Chopper my friend. If only you could have seen how hard your road rage story made me laugh and smile. I have been under a tremendous amount of stress at work the last month or so and it has begun to take it's toll. A few weeks back I lashed out at one of our project managers, literally screaming at him on the phone. When I spoke with him later that afternoon, I immediately apologized for venting my frustrations on him and we were all good. But the stress has continued to build, and last week I noticed that I was starting to get frustrated with drivers on the road because they just wouldn't get out of my way. In the evening I would discuss my road rage with my girlfriend, and I would let it go. As Joel Olsteen would say, don't let someone else take your joy from you. Then the morning of the third day I was on my way to work and was making a left turn onto a side street, and the driver waiting for me to turn started pulling out in front of me as I was just beginning to turn. In my rage, I slammed on my brakes and stopped just to stare the guy down. After that I spoke with a few people about my road rage incident, and since my rage has subsided.
I tell you this because I was acutely aware of the frustrations and rage building within me. Although I spoke with others about it, and I meditated on why I was allowing these other drivers and other things that are not in my control to steal the peace from within me; and yet my rage grew more day by day. I understand that these are characteristics that take control over our flesh, and knowing that I was cognizant of it while the rage continued to grow, yet was I seemingly unable to control it within myself. I will have to meditate on this more as I head off to bed: but I think if I were take a lesson from the Lord on this experience, it would be a reminder that it is not by my will that I am able to overcome my flesh, but only by the will of the Lord and the power of his Spirit are we able to overcome the infirmities bound into our flesh.
Praise the Lord for the abundance of his grace and mercy.
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