When I was taking Driver’s Ed in high school, one day I finally got the chance to drive on the highway. Graduating from the side roads, to the main roads, to the highway was a big deal.
While I’m in the driver’s seat, the instructor is in the passenger’s seat. The more comfortable I become, the more risks I begin to take. As I begin to merge onto the highway, I disregard the fact that there’s a fleet of cars coming at seventy miles per hour.
When I press the accelerator, the car won’t move because, unbeknownst to me, the instructor has a brake on his side of the car. While my foot is on the gas, his foot is on the brake. While I’m trying to move forward, I’m stuck at a standstill. The instructor stops the car for the purpose of protecting me.
And every now and then, when you’re trying to move forward, the Lord has you at a standstill—not to prevent you, but to protect you.