Have you ever been rushing in traffic on your commute to work one morning and you just seem to hit every red light imaginable?
Maybe you were already running late to work and the streets are overflowing with rush hour traffic. As soon as you get on the road, you’re stuck behind a long line of cars. Now you’re going 25 mph in a 45, surrounded by a sea of merciless drivers, cutting through traffic, balancing their hot coffees in one hand and steering wheels in the other.
Tension is in the air.
To make matters worse on this dizzying morning, you run into a crucial problem:
Everytime you approach an intersection, the light turns red.
At first, it’s no big deal. It adds one minute to your ETA, but you will still make it in time.
“The next one will be green,” you say to yourself.
But as you continue to drive down the road, you hit another red light. You start to feel this sense of dread deep down in your gut. At each intersection, you find yourself first in line every single time. Just seconds away from making it through the light. But, it’s turning red. Every single time.
“What gives?” you ask yourself.
Now, you happen to glance at your phone. Your ETA was 5 minutes early, but now your ETA is 5 minutes late. It seems like the odds are against you. You're stuck in a stopped car, with a sea of traffic all around you. Under the noise of brakes screeching and horns honking, feeling powerless even though you're in the drivers seat.
Facing the grim reality that is in front of you: a red light.
If you're in this situation, you can do one of two things. You can either let the frustration overthrow your emotions and text your boss, obviously letting them know you’ll be late today.
Or, you can change your heart posture. Realizing this isn't the first time this has happened. You can start thanking God for giving you another day of life, your job, your car, and pray and ask Him to part the red sea to get you there on time. Depending on what you chose; you will have different outcomes.
Let's imagine you decide to do what you normally wouldn't do. In this very chaotic scene, you decide to take a deep breath. This isn't the first time you've hit a few red lights before. In reckless abandon, you decide to praise God for what he's doing in your life, even for the red lights. Though frustrating, the red lights may have been blessings. Those red lights could have been protecting you from a potential collisions, hitting an object in the road or getting a ticket. All of a sudden, you feel at ease. Your mind starts to change when your heart does. Now, you notice your ETA is decreasing. Though you're still in the thick of traffic and tangible stress, you feel a grace covering you.
After an excruciating parade of red lights and slow drivers, you reach your final light. Just less than a couple hundred feet from your work. You have one minute left to make it. You are down to the wire. The light is red when you approach. You pray and ask God to make it green.
Nothing.
You start to feel dread swell up in your body. “I can’t be late again, God.” you whisper.
You hear His still voice say,”Move forward.”
Since you're first in line, you slowly release the break. You slowly inch towards the white line. A pause of hesitation- you feel uncertain but full of faith that God will keep His word.
Another second passes. You look at your ETA. You're so close.
Then you look up. Another second passes.
Green!
You hit the gas and take off. You breeze through the entrance and head to the parking lot. And to your benefit, there’s a spot right in front of the building. You pull forward, run inside, and clock in. All is well.
God answered your prayers. You breathe a sigh of relief.
Oftentimes, it isn’t just our daily commute that can feel this strenuous. Life can be like this too. For some reason, we haven’t been able to arrive at our destination.
We may feel like our timing was off. Maybe we had circumstances in our life that have made us feel as if we’ve been “running late”. We missed opportunities that we didn’t take right away. We faced unexpected delay when we were just about to leave.
And because of that, we seem to hit every red light imaginable.
Wall after wall.
Circumstance after circumstance.
Discouragement after discouragement.
We come into a deep pit of frustration- wondering if this was the route God wanted us to take in the first place. Wondering if He sees the redlights too.
“Is God here right now?” you have probably asked yourself.
Yet, we keep moving forward knowing there could be something on the other side.
Just when you hit your final “red light”, you feel like you want to give up. You can’t keep going any longer. You’re exasperated from the heartache of the delay. You’re confused as to why God hasn’t stepped in. Just then, you hit your knees, desperate for a breakthrough. You feel like you have no breath within you.
You hear that still small voice say,”Move forward.”
A deep sigh followed by a silence that rings in your ears.
You bow your head, close your eyes and you pray.
Then, when you least expect it.
Your green light appears.
Your breakthrough has come.
And before you know it, you have arrived at your destination.
The frustration of the red lights completely wiped away by the never-failing goodness of God.
Friends, let this be your reminder that things can change quickly. Praise changes things quickly. We are in a season where we transitioning into amazing things God has in store for us. We are about to fully step into the authority that He died for on the cross for us. As he equips us for these things, He is scanning our hearts as He prepares us for what is about to happen next. Despite the red lights and discouragement in your life, exalt His name over your circumstances. Stay in the secret place. Stay in His word, and keep praying. It doesn’t matter if you feel “late”. It doesn’t matter if you’re hitting “red lights”. God is the creator of time and had this moment in store for you. You were born to prosper.
To the one in the waiting, I decree and declare supernatural victory over your circumstances. I decree and declare strength and grace to come upon you now. I decree and declare supernatural power to come upon you now. I decree and declare supernatural grace for you in your time of waiting. I decree and declare your green lights will come, now.