The White Car

Making decisions in the light

When my husband was a young man, he went to buy a car. He went to see it when it was nighttime. The car was parked under a dim street light. He liked what he saw and bought the car. Delighted to be driving his lovely white Ford Fiesta home, he parked it outside his house, only to discover the next morning – in the daylight – that it wasn’t a white Fiesta car, but a canary yellow one! 

Dave made a decision in the darkness of the night. He wasn’t seeing clearly to make a fully informed decision.

That’s like us! Denial is darkness. When we’re in denial – “I’m not really struggling that much”, “I’ll be fine tomorrow”, ‘I’ll just try harder then I’ll be happier” – we too are prone to make uninformed poor choices because we’re not basing them on facts. 

We need to come into the light of reality and truth; we need to face the fact that we’re anxious or struggling with food, or whatever. When we stop striving to fix ourselves, we allow God’s power to come in. Our denial is darkness and foolishness; God’s truth is light and wisdom.

“…everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.” Matthew 7: 26-27

Reality sounds like “I’m struggling and I need God’s strength”, “I’m not fine, but God can help me”, ‘I’ll be happier if I trust God’s directions”.

When we stop leaning on our own understanding (darkness) and trust in God (light), we’ll see more clearly what our next healthy choice is.

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart
    and lean not on your own understanding;
in all your ways submit to him,
    and he will make your paths straight.” Proverbs 3:5-6

Father God, Sorry that I’ve tried to fix myself in my own ways and – in this darkness – have failed. Thank you that you are Truth – and the Light. Help me to step out of denial, and admit to my struggles and my need for Your help. Please help me to trust You so I can make wise choices for my recovery. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.