Last Thursday on my way home from work, I noticed something dangerous in the left turn lane. One lady had hit another lady’s bumper. They were handling their insurance info, but their lights weren’t on making it difficult to see them. The one who got hit was frazzled and angered and the other looked humiliated.

As I drove by, I rolled down my window and yelled, “Excuse me … Put your flashers on!”

I didn’t think they heard me so I yelled it again: “Put your flashers on!”

Then all of the sudden, the woman whose car got hit turned around and yelled: “SHUT UP!” really annoyed at me.

By that time, I was too far ahead to respond. But I thought, I’m just trying to keep you safe lady. I understood her frustrations and I probably sounded like I was nagging, but I really was out for her good. They would have been in really bad shape if another car hit them.

I feel that little situation was a good picture of the Spirit’s work in my life lately. There have been several times I’ve sensed the Spirit telling me: “Put your flashers on!” (Or that sin is really going to hurt you and others).

I forget that every day I’m in a battle from the time my alarm goes off. Satan wants my heart, mind and soul. My flesh wants to be critical, impatient, unloving, angry. It wants to steal my joy and keep me from singing (and writing.)

And I admit that some days are just plain hard to walk in the Spirit. I am so selfish and sometimes it seems like the more I try to grow in God’s Word, the harder the struggle is.

But I’m trusting that God is doing something. He’s disciplining me. He’s teaching me to yield in obedience, instead of saying “shut up!” He’s letting me know that with God’s power, I have the ability to be led and controlled by the Spirit any time and any place.

I’m not sure if those ladies ever turned their lights on or not, but they reminded me of something that day.

Do you ever feel like walking in the Spirit is like taking one step forward and two steps back? Any interesting crazy holiday traffic stories out there?