While traveling, I revel in the beauty of nature, especially the sunrise or sunset viewed through my windshield—it’s almost blissful. Every trip begins with preparation: bathroom break, gas tank filled, fluids checked, tires inspected, playlist ready, sweet tea in hand, and sunflower seeds at the ready. I’m good to go. As I drive, I enjoy Third Day’s music, sip my sweet tea, and take in the stunning views. A few dozen miles in, a bug splatters on the windshield. I dodge some tire chunks in the road and keep making good time. A few hundred miles later, the bugs are piling up, the gas tank’s running low, and the tea needs to find a new home. I pull into a safe-looking gas station with the cheapest fuel, fill up, check the tires (they’re fine), confirm the fluids are okay, empty my bladder, and hit the road again.
As evening approaches, the sun begins to set. Its glare beams brightly through the windshield, where the bugs have made a permanent resting place. I can barely see, slouching in my seat to find a clear spot between the dragonfly and a pair of lovebugs. In a moment of desperation, I press the washer fluid button— instantly, I’m blind, driving at 70 mph. I hold the button down, and swish, swish, smear… a gallon of fluid later, the mess on my windshield is so bad I’m practically driving by braille.
The sun finally sets, and I turn off cruise control because I can’t see. My seat now bears permanent grip marks from clutching it during a near miss with a large truck tire in the road. My stomach’s in knots, I’m stressed to the max, the music’s off, and I just want to reach my destination and be done with this miserable trip.
This day, like many others, started with a majestic sunrise. I marveled at nature’s beauty, but as the bugs piled up on the windshield and stress took over, the sunset’s majesty was lost in the chaos. I’ve been driving for nearly 30 years, and you’d think I’d have learned to pull over and clean the windshield, but I either forget or just don’t feel like it.
Life is much the same. One constant we all share is that life will throw bugs on our windshield—problems will come, and things will get messy. Some can’t cope and turn to unthinkable solutions; others seek escape in substances, sex, or isolation (like me). During these messy times, it’s easy to stumble or fall into pits along the way. Yet, another constant remains: the beauty and majesty we once appreciated is still there, unchanging. What changes is us—our perspective through the
windshield. God is the ultimate cleaner, offering His power freely through the Holy Spirit, but He doesn’t force us to pull over and use it. Instead, He leaves that choice to us. Sadly, most of us wait until we can’t see past the pain or trouble before tapping into His strength. The bugs will keep coming, and life will get messy. It’s up to us to pull over and let God shift our perspective. The journey becomes smoother that way, and instead of just wanting it to end, we can savor the beauty along the way.
“For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love, and self-discipline.” —2 Timothy 1:7
“The more we get what we now call ‘ourselves’ out of the way and let Him take us over, the more truly ourselves we become.” —C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity