Lean Back-Enjoy The Ride

April 21, 2024

Have you ever witnessed someone driving who is leaning forward, hands at ten and two, white knuckles with a death grip on the steering wheel and who seems almost frantic?  You are wise to stay out of their way. Do you ever feel like your life, your day, your world is that person? Always leaning forward, with intense expectation, maybe not able to enjoy the day, because of being on edge.

If so then this article is for you. If not, then it’s probably not for you. My hope with this article is that it will empower you and remind you to “lean back and enjoy the ride.”

So, I’ll go ahead and confess this up front, over the past few weeks I seem to have hit that proverbial creative writer’s block. I base much of my lifestyle content on real life experiences, etc. and while I’ve written several stories during this time, none have made it to print, until this one.

I hope this meets you where you are at. If not today, then maybe the next time you feel yourself leaning forward with the death grip on the steering wheel of life due to stress and anxiety.

I love Sunday afternoon drives (off the main highways of course), I always have. There is something about being out on the road, seeing the different communities, homes, farmland, cattle, businesses, etc. that just does something for me. After church today I took a drive through parts of North Alabama through Morgan, Cullman, Marshall, and Madison counties.

The trees and farms were all green and coming alive with spring. Others were out on their Sunday drives on these two-lane roads as well because I got behind several of those on the way back to Huntsville (smile!).

On the way down to Cullman, I wasn’t as relaxed because I was headed to lunch, but the more I drove, the more I leaned back into my seat and relaxed. The more I drove, the more relaxed I became. Sometimes on these drives I listen to music, usually from the 80’s or 90’s and then sometimes no music at all.

Today was a no music day. It was one of those Me and God talks in the truck kind of days. Do you ever have those kinds of moments? Sometimes I talk a lot and sometimes He speaks and I listen.

Today as I drove with no music on, I heard these words.

“Lean back son and enjoy the life and plans I have for you. Don’t try to drive my plan to completion in your timing. It’s my timing, not yours. Leaning back doesn’t mean you aren’t trying or giving it your all; it means you are trusting and resting in your heavenly father’s plan, a plan far greater than the plan you have for yourself.” -God

Those words stuck with me all afternoon and inspired this article.

On my way back home, I stopped by Publix and while there visited with a young man, I talk to frequently who works in the produce department. I asked him how his day was going, and he shared it had been stressful. He said just people stuff all day. I could tell he was stressed and as I listened, he shared more of his situation. I encouraged him to maybe lean back a little in his situation and explained what that meant.  

No, I didn’t change this young man’s life today, but maybe, just maybe I was able to listen and provide a little encouragement for his day. If it took me driving through the country on this Sunday afternoon to be able to share life with my friend at Publix, it was well worth it.

Are you facing a situation that you are constantly stressed about? Do you have moments where you feel on edge for whatever reason and can’t enjoy your day or even life because of it? Do you have Sunday scaries, worried about what you will face in the coming week? You are not alone.

In closing, my I encourage with these words, “lean back a little…Leaning back doesn’t mean you aren’t trying or giving it your all; it means you are trusting and resting in your heavenly father’s plan, a plan far greater than the plan you have for yourself.”

Maybe you could use a drive through the country.

BestLife50 is created to empower others to live their best life.

I’m Jason Thrasher and this is BestLife50.