How many times have you avoided a particular street in a neighborhood that has speed bumps?

There’s a street in my neighborhood that has speed bumps. Since those were put in many years ago, I don’t think it gets as much traffic, by far. The street just a block over doesn’t have speed bumps and gets plenty use. Guess which street I use. 🙂

In driving, there’s really no reason to go down the street with the speed bumps unless you have to or you just didn’t know the difference between the streets – if you never went into the neighborhood before. They’re both through streets, leading from one main road to the next. They’re pretty much identical, except for the varying looking ranch houses, mailboxes and those pesky speed bumps.

Don’t we sometimes do the same with life? We take the easy road, or try to take the easy road, with less bumps, hurdles and trials. What happens?

Life happens, that’s what.

Life isn’t really like the neighborhood. Not really. It’s hard to avoid the bumps in the road. You might be on the right street, but you’re still going to face the bumps.

Why are there bumps in the road? Here’s my thinking.

Life’s bumps can be like actual speed bumps. Their purpose? Slow down there buckaroo. The speed bumps in neighborhoods are normally placed there because a group of neighbors requested them. People were most likely flying up and down the street consistently enough to warrant the addition to the road. That really slows them down… but moving to the street over. In life, God is that neighbor wanting us to slow down on the road we’re on perhaps. Being fully in control, He places the bumps in the road to allow us to take a step back, slow down and make a more informed decision before continuing on. A more informed decision? Turn to Him and find out.

Fear of the LORD is the foundation of true knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and discipline.

Proverbs 1:7

The bumps in the road allow us to build endurance and patience. A W Tozer says, “You do not like the bumps, but you like the patience, and if you want the patience, you’ll have to take the bumps.” I can see this being a huge case for the bumps in the road. “Give me more patience, God,” and what does He do? Gives you the opportunity to be patient.

For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow.

James 1:3

You ever go around speed bumps in an empty parking lot? If the parking lot is empty, I find them pretty pointless, so I go around whenever possible. No need to jostle the vehicle for no reason. Maybe there’s no harm done, I’m not a car expert, but I don’t like speed bumps, personally. Is there someone out there who does? I’ve never met them.

In life, it’s not an empty parking lot. If it were, there probably wouldn’t be any bumps to begin with because if that’s life – empty, meaningless – God wouldn’t have a use for the bumps in the road.

No matter where the bumps are in the road, for some reason… sometimes only known by God for this time on earth, they are there for a purpose.

We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance.

Romans 5:3

How are you handling the bumps in your path?