Going Nowhere Fast

 Most of us have been in situations where we realize that no matter what we do, the forward progress seems to come to a grinding halt. It’s 3 steps forward, two steps back. It’s spinning your wheels. My dad used to call it going nowhere fast. I experience this recently at 6^th grade science camp. Most of the time the students were running full steam ahead, mostly because they were doing things that they already knew and were already good at. They ran. They played games. They snacked. Then there was kayaking.

I found myself riding with a very inexperienced 6^th grader who, through no fault of their own, knew absolutely nothing about kayaking, let alone how to steer while paddling. I found myself surrounded by students vigorously trying to get across the water, yet going in circles or accidentally ramming into one another and myself. Again, not their fault. For most of them it was their first time in a boat, let alone a kayak that they were supposed to move in a specific direction. This is one of those situations where you really shouldn’t take life too seriously. You try to explain, demonstrate, cheer, and hope for the best. Needless to say, I did most of the heavy lifting on this one. We were going nowhere fast, but we were having fun, well I guess most of us were.

So what is your response when you feel like you are spinning your wheels? It’s taken me many years, but I have grown to understand that when this happens, you need to look for a cause. Sometimes we will just find out we’re doing it wrong. But as a believer in “divine appointments” - those times where God has put you in the right spot, at the right time, with the right tools to be a help to someone. I’ve noticed that very often, if you really pay attention, there is someone or something that God wants you to notice. It might be a situation that is totally unrelated to you current predicament that He desires you to notice. Call it a side-line if you will, but it might just be the best thing you do all day. It could be a need, a project, or a hurting person. It just might be that God needed to slow you down from you 90 mph day so that it/they would get your attention.  So if you ever have that feeling of going nowhere fast, try this.

1. Stop and take notice. Are you doing something wrong, or is there someone in need.

2. Pray that God would guide you to where you need to be, both physically and in your awareness around you.

3. Look for those “divine appointments”. They happen more often than you think.

4. Leave those people and places you touch that day a little better for you being there.

5. Follow the leading of the Holy Spirit. (And don’t argue with him in your head. You will find out that God also has a sense of humor.)

It takes being in the moment, being aware of what is happening around us. It takes a little work on our part, but being someone’s hero for the day is a great place to end up. It might just help you stop spinning your own wheels and get you on with your day – only this time with a smile on your face.