Protected from road rage by listening to God

By Lauren Blake Crandall

I’ve started to read the Bible through in one year. It began really well (Genesis is super exciting!), but later on it felt as if the pace got a lot slower. God guides Moses on how to build His tabernacle, and the details go on for pages and chapters.

However, rather than get bored or impatient with those chapters, I began to find that I really liked the idea of God guiding us so specifically. There’s no guesswork when we listen for God’s guidance. We discern exactly what to do, and the result is the best possible outcome, assured to us by the infinite Mind, God.

I prayed, asking God so humbly: How should I proceed?

I found myself hoping I’d have a similar kind of communication with the Father—where I’d know exactly what do to in a situation, without any guesswork. I didn’t have to wait long!

A few months ago I was driving on a busy four-lane highway. The car in front of me was going slower than the speed limit, so I decided to move into the left lane to pass. The driver of the car I pulled in front of must have thought that I’d cut him off, because he began to ride only inches from my bumper. I wanted to get back into the right lane, but I was boxed in.

The driver riding on my bumper became so angry that he hit the brakes, swerved into the right lane, continued onto the shoulder, and sped past a whole bunch of cars. I was amazed by how aggressive this move was.

Coming up to another busy interstate, and since I had several routes to choose from to get to my destination, I thought perhaps I’d leave this guy to drive on ahead and cool off while I merged onto the interstate. As I merged, he swerved across three lanes of traffic to cut me off on the entrance ramp, then slowed his car to about 25 miles per hour.

By now, I realized I was facing a really unsafe, even scary, situation. I had no idea how to proceed. Should I pass him? Pull over? Try to avoid him using James Bond-like car chase skills? I was at a loss, and very afraid. So I prayed, asking God so humbly: How should I proceed?

Mary Baker Eddy wrote the words to one of my favorite hymns in the Christian Science Hymnal. It begins,

Shepherd, show me how to go
O’er the hillside steep,
How to gather, how to sow,—
How to feed Thy sheep;
I will listen for Thy voice,
Lest my footsteps stray;
I will follow and rejoice
All the rugged way. (No. 304)

This was what I needed, the sort of shepherding and loving guidance that Moses and others in the Bible had experienced. I couldn’t leave anything to chance, but I didn’t have to. God would direct me when I humbly listened.

Suddenly, the answers were there. “Don’t pass this man. Just stay tucked in behind him. See that semi-truck? Pull in closely behind it. Perfect.” And the instructions kept coming. It was like having a Driver’s Education teacher telling me exactly what to do at exactly the right time.

I calmly followed the guidance as it came, feeling much braver and safer. After attempting to cut me off a few more times, the driver drove away. I exited the interstate for another highway and continued to my destination.

I couldn’t help but think of Christ Jesus and his example of love in the face of anger and hatred. Jesus demonstrated such an awesome grasp of the power of forgiveness! Soon after this road rage incident happened, I was able to forgive the other driver. There wasn’t lingering anxiety either as I went about my trip. Since this time, I have been driving with a more spiritual attitude toward all those on the road, and with more care and calmness than I had before.

I’m so, so, so grateful for the lessons we learn from the Bible, which come in ways we certainly couldn’t predict.

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