The cold weather we were experiencing reminded me that I am not yet thinking like a native of Alberta, my adopted province. My car had been parked in the garage at home for 3 days. The next day I drove to work and parked in the employee parking at the rear of the building. With wind chill, the temperature had dipped to -40°C. My car was parked outside for close to 12 hours. When it came time to go home, I discovered that it would not start. I felt terrible calling my husband and my son out into the frigid night to rescue me.
A simple way I could have avoided this situation would have been to use my remote start and let my car run for a few minutes during the day. It was something that never occurred to me as I went about my busy day at work. In Vancouver, where I come from, such a thing is not needed. After several winters here, I should have learned what is necessary to keep my vehicle running safely. My mind slipped back into old patterns however, and I forgot about the measures I needed to take.
I know there is a deeper lesson here for me. No matter how good my intentions are, sometimes I slip back into old patterns that are not beneficial. When I busy myself with many other things and don’t spend time connecting with God, my life also grows cold. The longer I spend in the cold, the more difficult it is to get going again. There is a simple preventative measure for this. Connecting with God in prayer throughout the day gives me the power I need to keep moving forward. He is always there to guide me into a more purposeful life and there is nothing remote about His kind of start.
Pray in the Spirit in every situation. Use every kind of prayer and request there is. For the same reason be alert. Use every kind of effort and make every kind of request for all of God’s people. Ephesians 6:18 God’s Word Translation
Be inspired today.