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Life is a commute

Keith Poysti

In the fall of 1995, I began a nine-month term as an interim pastor. The church that called me was in Steinbach, Man., an hour from our home in Winnipeg. Driving amidst the fall colours and evening displays of northern lights, I actually looked forward to the commute, using the time for prayer and worship. The reality of winter travel in Manitoba soon broke in, however. It did not help that this particular winter was one of the coldest and snowiest in history. I found myself commuting in blizzards, freezing rain, fog, black ice and slush. As I drove day after day, to and from work, I began to notice some parallels between life as a commuter and the Christian journey.

The Christian journey is not for the timid.

When driving through a snowstorm or on sheer ice, I found myself tensing up and battling fear. Once I counted over 30 cars in the ditch on a short stretch of highway. Some were overturned, and some were just hopelessly stuck in the snow. When I concentrated too much on these wrecked vehicles or on the hazards around me, I started to lose my nerve. I wished I had never agreed to commute. One minus-41-degree night, I picked up a stranded motorist and brought him home even though my gas tank was almost empty. Stories of people who had died of exposure in the area just weeks before filled my mind. What a relief to arrive home safely!

Sometimes I have viewed faith as the means to a peaceful and hazard-free life. I thought that the Christian journey should become smoother, not bumpier. But the storms and the slippery patches keep appearing. I complain that the way is too hard. There must be an easier route. I want to take a detour. But the only way to continue on my journey is through the storm. I am finding out why Jesus had to say so many times to His disciples, “Do not fear.” I am learning to keep my eyes on the road ahead and not just on the hazards. And I have more understanding, more compassion, for others who have lost their way or are stalled on the side of the road.

The Christian journey is full of starts and stops.

One of the greatest challenges for the commuter is traffic. “Stop and go” traffic can frustrate the most patient. Fortunately, most of my travel was on highways outside of the city. There were still some annoying traffic lights, slow drivers and lousy weather conditions to slow me down (not to mention the RCMP radar patrol units). However, I found out very quickly that impatience does not always get you to your destination faster. A pick-up truck anxious to pass me in the fast lane got pulled over by an even faster police cruiser. Cars driving a little too fast for the weather conditions ended up waiting in the ditches for a tow truck.

In our journey of faith, we also like to reach our destinations quickly. Whether my goal is overcoming character flaws or doing greater things for God, I do not like to wait. It is so tempting to go full steam ahead with my own plans and to complain about the interruptions that slow me down. But it is during these annoying interruptions that God often does His deepest work. I am learning that impatience in the Christian journey is often a sign of not trusting in God’s timing and God’s ways. It is unbelief that makes me angry when things aren’t moving ahead (at least not visibly). Confidence in the God of eternity allows the Christian traveller to adjust to God’s speed limits and stop signs.

The Christian journey is a shared one.

Even though I drove my car alone, I found out that there were many other commuters making the same trip. These veterans gave me travelling tips, encouragement and a sense of camaraderie. We prayed for each other’s safety. We shared stories of difficulties that we encountered on the road. It helped to know that others drove through the same storms.

The Christian road has often seemed very lonely to me. The picture of a personal yet shared Christian journey is a helpful one. On the one hand, I realize that faith is intensely personal and can even isolate me from others. No one else can travel the way of Christ for me. On the other hand, many other Christians are on the same journey. Veteran travellers can steer me away from many dangers and provide encouragement and friendship.

Commuting brings to mind images of movement, impermanence, inconvenience and patient waiting. For those of us who are more comfortable with stability, permanence, convenience and immediate action, this is not a welcome picture of the Christian journey. But, in reality, Christians are commuters. The Bible calls us “aliens and strangers” in this world, people who are patiently waiting to arrive at an eternal destination. We are travellers, knowing that “this world is passing away.” It is the joyful anticipation of arriving safely home to be with Christ that keeps us going, right to the end.

Keith Poysti is now senior pastor of Elmwood MB Church in Winnipeg.

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Last modified September 18, 1999.

© 1999 Mennonite Brethren Herald.
Published by the Canadian Conference of MB Churches.
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