“Commit thy way unto the Lord, trust also in Him and HE shall bring it to pass.” Psalms 37:5

On November 13, 1997, my dad and I went to visit my brother Gordon at school in upstate New York, in a town called New City. Before leaving, I insisted on getting driving instructions from the school director. My father, however, told me it wasn’t necessary—he already knew the way. I figured it had been so long since he’d last visited, so I got the directions anyway.

We set out on that cold but beautiful day, snow blanketing the trees and rooftops. With instructions in hand, I carefully guided our journey. Everything seemed fine until we exited the highway. That’s when the nightmare began.

For the next hour, we drove in circles. I called the school more than once for updated directions, each time writing them down word-for-word. Yet somehow, nothing looked familiar, and frustration consumed me. All the while, my dad remained calm, repeating the same words: “I told you, I know the way.”

Finally, I gave in. “Okay, Dad—let’s do it your way.” Within fifteen minutes, we were driving down the correct street, and soon after, pulling into the school’s parking lot. I was stunned.

Later, the resident director explained what went wrong. My directions were accurate, but they applied to a different highway. I had followed the right instructions—but on the wrong road.

What struck me most wasn’t just how quickly my dad corrected our course, but how patiently he handled the entire situation. He never raised his voice or lost his composure. He knew the way, even when I insisted on my own.

And isn’t that just like our walk with God?

So often, we insist on being in the driver’s seat. We ask for instructions, but then we choose our own path. All the while, our Heavenly Father patiently whispers, “I know the way.”

Here’s what I learned that day—and what still speaks to my heart:

• Let go and let God. Relinquish control. Leave the driving to Him.
• Admit that I don’t know everything. Lean not on my own understanding.
• Trust the Holy Spirit’s leading. His direction never fails.
• Stop trying to fix it. The more I tried to “make it work,” the more lost I became.
• Rest in His sovereignty. God already knows the way and uses all things for my good.

“But He knows the way that I take; when He has tested me, I shall come forth as pure gold.” — Job 23:10

Friend, whatever “wrong road” you may feel you’re on right now, remember—God is not lost. He knows the way. Trust Him enough to let Him drive.

by Pamela Echols ( All rights reserved)