Put You High Beams On

The past couple of months have been a bit overwhelming for me ~ I had long-term houseguests, repairs inside my home, extra work that impacted my already tight schedule, and several losses that have been emotionally draining...putting one foot in front of the other and keeping faith that the Lord is in control of all things has been my approach to each morning's greeting of sunrise ~ .  Needless to say, I have not been able to keep that mindset 100% of the time, and have found myself drifting off many a day into mulling ~

One evening a few weeks ago, when I was particularly tired and over-extended, I found myself driving very cautiously along a narrow, two lane road not far from my home.  My eyes were straining to monitor the edge of the road as I was feeling anxious about keeping the car from going too close (it drops off pretty sharply a few inches and can cut a tire or cause other challenges to safety). I do not always feel this way, on this particular road, though I do keep note of the boundaries, but that evening I was constrained in spirit.  My body was tighter and my eyes were straining as I was on severe energy drain. This posture was adding to my fatigue and causing more mental exertion which I was noticing from a somewhat secondary perspective ~

As the Spirit continued to prompt me to recognize what I was doing, and how it was actually making things worse instead of better, I was struck with the thought ~ "Put your high beams on" (I had avoided this earlier because I had met several other cars on the road when I had begun that stretch of driving)...as I flipped my high beams on, I found myself following the light ~  looking up and ahead, rather than just to the  front of my van.  My posture instantly relaxed as my hands loosened upon the wheel, and tension melted away. I found it much easier to drive again. 

Given the immediate change in perspective, I sensed the Lord's gentle whisper in my mind, carving a point out in the moment ~ "See, when you keep your eyes fixed on Me ~ looking up from your problems and allowing Me to show you the bigger picture, you are freed from the binding and tensions that come when you catch yourself fixated on things that are right front of you; tunnel vision is limited...take My perspective and Trust Me." 

What a blessed relief it was to be reminded that our Lord is always there, and He is larger than everything we face daily.  He delights in overseeing our lives, desiring to guide and direct at all times for our good and His glory.  If we would just choose to take our eyes off what is binding us down, in our limited vision, and look up, seeking for a fresh point of view ~ broader and more encompassing vision of what is truth around us, we would be much more able to face each day's challenges with relaxation and open focus.  How wonderful is our God!