The sign on the side of the old dirt road was simply written and to the point. It was a warning sign, but most likely placed there by a local and intended to lean away from the serious and toward the humorous. It read “Be careful which rut you choose. You’ll be in it for the next five miles.”
I smiled as I read the sign but soon found out, to my dismay, that the author of the warning knew what he was talking about. The road, obviously susceptible to frequent flooding, was indeed but a series of deep ruts that stretched out lazily into the distance. Some were deeper than other and most likely formed by the farm equipment used in the area. Others were more shallow and kinder to the suspension of my car. I took the advice offered on the sign, chose carefully and made it through with nothing but a stiff neck and a slightly battered hubcap to show for it.
For years afterward, it was nothing more than a cute story to relate to friends and family. But my life has taken a turn, and with that turn, the humor of the sign and the cuteness of the story have turned more serious.
I have come to believe that life is but a series of ruts. Few of us will ever live a life where every day is filled with adventure and excitement. For the most part, our lives are predictable and, at times, even mundane. We educate ourselves. We hire ourselves out for a wage. We marry. We raise children. If reduced to it’s lowest common denominator, each of these are ruts we run in as life progresses. Of course, this is not necessarily a bad thing. All of the endeavors listed are admirable and worthy of our attention and commitment. Deep fulfillment can be found in these ruts.
But there are other, less acceptable, ruts in which we seem to find ourselves sometimes – even ruts we make for ourselves and then regret later when it’s too late. Poor decisions, impulse control problems, failure to properly discipline ourselves, and the unwillingness or the inability to control our appetites and wants can place us into deep ruts from which there is no escape. Even the loving and kind and forgiving Heavenly Father will ofttimes allow the consequences of our actions to unfold upon us, even as He forgives and prepares our place with Him in the next life. Decisions have consequences and those ruts can be long and relentless.
Even the good ruts can become bothersome and a chore if we fail to maintain a vital and continual relationship with God. Only He can give us the ability and the desire to love others when they are not very lovable and to deal with the circumstances of life in a positive and engaging way. No marriage is a bed of roses and every child has the potential to cause a parent heartache. Bosses can be a pain and the very normalcy of life can be taxing. Without God, we just tread water, churning through the days.
Ultimately, our choices determine our ruts. And our attitudes – the only thing over which we ever truly have control – determines whether we are miserable or joyful as we travel. Joy can be found in the ruts of life. Fulfillment can be found in the mundane. Usefulness can be discovered again after failure. God is the God of second chances and, for those that love Him and seek Him with their whole heart, He can use even the ruts of life to bring us all the good He has for us.
