The Time of Your Life Or, Bossy Tourist Syndrome

{by Samantha Roose}
It’s been almost two weeks.  And again Philippians 4:4-5 is put on my heart.  Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. 

I’ve been telling the Lord that I will rejoice and asking Him to make me more gentle toward my sisters, but still, every morning as I write prayers to my Lord and Savior this verse faithfully pops into my mind and I feel compelled to write it down.   So this morning I asked…

Lord how do you want me to rejoice?

And He told me…

“I want you to be SO happy that I am here that you let go and sit back for the ride.  I want you to enjoy and laugh and delight in life!

Relax and ENJOY life while I steer and maneuver for you.  There’s so much I want to show you along the way if you’ll let me.  You’re being like a bossy tourist. You have things you want to see and accomplish and a timeline.  This is an adventure of your life time and you don’t want to miss a thing but you don’t know what’s best to see or the way to go.  I, on the other hand, know the land inside and out.  I know more history tid-bits than any other tour guide.  Better yet, I know what will interest you most, what you will appreciate later down the road and what you want to see.  And of course, I know your timelines better than you.  In fact, I’ve been planning this trip from beginning to end since before you were born.  I even know the best places to eat and relax along the way.

So let Me lead.  Just as you knew where people should go when they came to visit you in Germany but they were always set on seeing Neuschwanstein, so I know all the best places.”

Five years ago my family and I lived in Germany for 5 year (this was one of the blessings resulting from my father’s 23 year long career of protecting my rights and the rights of the American people!).  We often had friends come and visit us and of course they wanted to see the legendary castle which inspired the Disney palace.  Touring this magnificent castle was an ALL day affair which entailed a  five hour drive there AND back, climbing a mountain, walking across the highest bridge I have ever seen (scared me to DEATH!) and of course a tour of the palace itself and a neighboring palace where the young prince grew up.  Finally we would arrive home late and exhausted.

I can recall many a night discussing with my sisters how much better we could have used that time.  Not that we didn’t enjoy the luxurious palace, truth be known it’s now one of our fondest memories from Germany, but we knew there were more valuable things to see like salt mines, Joan of Arc’s home, medieval fests, volksmarches (translated: people walk)...  We knew there were more valuable things to do with our time and that would probably be enjoyed more by everyone.

Using this example, which was very tangible for me, the Lord was teaching me that I was being like our guests—not rude but knowing what we want to see and not willing to see what is truly valuable or necessary. So, instead of enjoying the tour I choose He’s been begging me, each morning, for several weeks to rejoice in the tour He has for me—on His timeline!

Since this particular morning it has been a journey learning to let Him be my tour guide on His timeline and taking His routes.  I’m by no means a master tourist but I’m learning and looking forward to what God has to show me as I let Him lead!