left_behind

Left Behind, by Gini Kittle

A while back, our family went to Washington D. C. for a family wedding. While there, we used the metro subway for getting around town. We decided to use their “Smart Pass” cards because they would be more convenient and less expensive.

After buying the cards, we realized our train would be leaving in 5 minutes. We hurried over to the entrance and got in line to go through the automatic gates and catch our train. Ben went through with no problem and Randy followed close behind. But when I put my card on the reader, a few lights lit up, but the gate didn’t open. I tried it again … still nothing happened. Ben and Randy were on one side, and I was stuck on the other — unable to move forward and sadly feeling quite abandoned and left behind.

Of course, Randy and Ben didn’t leave me there. They stopped and called back for me to get one of the workers to help figure out what was wrong and get me through the gate. In no time, I was back with them and we were on our way.

Thinking about how sad, abandoned, and frustrated I had felt, I remembered a number of times I felt just like that on my spiritual journey. Others seemed to have moved into greater things — like more fruitful service or a closer relationship with the Lord — but I felt stuck in the same old rut and unable to move forward. Sometimes, I even resented them for moving forward and leaving me behind! But just as I wasn’t truly abandoned and soon caught up with Randy and Ben, it wasn’t long before the Spirit of God helped me to catch up with them as well.

If you ever start feeling like others are moving forward with God and you’ve been left behind, let me remind you that God will not leave you behind. He is calling each and every one of us into a closer, deeper relationship with Him. Don’t get frustrated. You are not abandoned. Remember His exhortation in Psalm 27:4, “Wait for the Lord; be strong and let your heart take courage; yes, wait for the Lord.”