Parallel Parking and the Ministry of Humility

Scripture: “Rest in the LORD, and wait patiently for him.” -Psalm 37:7

Parallel parking is one of those activities that can make a perfectly normal person question every decision they have ever made. You pull up confidently, glance in the mirror, turn the wheel, and suddenly the car is at an angle no vehicle was ever meant to occupy. Then comes the little back-and-forth dance: reverse a little, pull forward a little, reverse again, pretend you meant to do that, and hope no one is watching. But of course, someone is always watching. Usually a pedestrian with no place to be and a face that says, “I would have done this differently.”

What makes parallel parking so humbling is that it requires both trust and patience. You cannot just force your way into the space. Well, you can, but then you may have to leave a note and pray your insurance is current. You have to move slowly, correct gently, and accept that sometimes progress looks like backing up. That part bothers me, because I prefer progress to look like progress. Forward. Clear. Obvious. Preferably with a little applause tossed in for good measure. But sometimes the only way to get rightly positioned is to pause, adjust, and let the process do its work.

That sounds a lot like the way God grows us. We want Him to pull us straight into the place He has prepared, but He often works through small adjustments. A little conviction here. A little surrender there. A moment where we have to back up and apologize. A season where we thought we were moving forward, but God was actually teaching us how to line up with His will. “Rest in the LORD, and wait patiently for him” (Psalm 37:7) is not always glamorous, but it’s deeply practical. Sometimes resting in God looks more like trusting Him through the awkward adjusting.

So maybe parallel parking has a sermon after all. Not a long one, thankfully, because I’m still trying to get into that space over there. But a useful one: do not despise the slow corrections. Do not panic when the process feels awkward. God knows how to place us where we need to be, and He is patient enough to guide us through every adjustment. Even when it takes a few extra tries. Even when someone is watching. Even when our spiritual tires briefly touch the curb.

If this Fireside Chat warmed your spirit and sparked fresh resolve to live what you believe, fan that flame with Scripture—“Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly” (Colossians 3:16). Pull a little closer to the Light, and carry it into the week ahead.

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