The light has been on for days. You know the one I’m talking about. It’s the one next to the speedometer that tells you when something is wrong with your car. Maybe it’s time for an oil change, engine issues, computer problems or, in this case, an issue with the tire pressure. As I type this blog I am actually sitting at the mechanics. I’ve seen this light off and on through the years. A while back it stayed on but I never knew why until someone encouraged me to check the pressure in my spare tire. Sure enough, that was the problem. I didn’t even realize these newer vehicles (mine is actually 6 yrs old) had a sensor/indicator for spare tires. This time when it came on I immediately chalked it up to my spare tire as I had looked around at all my other tires and they looked fine so SURELY that couldn’t be the issue. Well, six days passed and I have been busy (driving the highway a little more than normal) so I never took the time to check on and/or fix the issue. We come in last night from my daughter’s soccer practice and my wife comes around the car and says, “Babe, your tire back here looks slack.” I’m thinking–Nah, I’ve been watching them…surely not. As a courtesy I walk to the back and sure enough, the tire is pretty slack. I take a few minutes and begin to inspect the tire and, you guessed it, a nail is stuck in my tire. I have no idea how long it had been there or how long I’d driven with it like that but something that may have seemed insignificant in the beginning had turned into an issue that could cause me some problems in the long run.

My mind immediately began reeling and I heard the Holy Spirit speaking to me. It always starts that way, doesn’t it? We see, sense, or feel something around us that raises a red flag. Rather than address and take care of the issue we decide to overlook it assuming it will go away. Ignorant mistake—I’m guilty!!! By the time we’ve looked over it for the hundredth time, the hundred-and-first becomes the “straw that broke the camels back.” Maybe it was that piece of birthday cake. It seemed harmless in the beginning but after eating 20 harmless pieces of cake, well, they aren’t so harmless anymore as we work feverishly to button our pants. Maybe you had been feeling sick for a while but you let it go…..its just a little breathing problem….before you know it pneumonia has set in and you end up in the hospital. Or, the story we’ve heard many times, someone decides to use drugs or drink alcohol once or twice recreationally and it becomes an addiction. Song of Solomon reminds us that it’s the little foxes that spoil the vine. You didn’t plan for things to get out of hand. You didn’t plan on those non-issues to become full fledged problems that now control you and threaten to leave you stranded on the side of the road, overweight, sick, or addicted (yeah, I crammed them all into one!).

I said all of that to say this—I know for a fact those ‘red flags’ are warnings from the Holy Spirit. Trust the God IN you and deal with those issues early on as the Holy Spirit reveals them to you. It’s not a comfortable thing but you’ll be glad you did later. 1 Corinthians states, “No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.”  And last but certainly not least, be reminded what 1 Peter 5:8 warns us about, “Be sober, be VIGILANT [my emphasis], because your adversary the devil SNEAKETH about as a lion, seeking who he may devour.” The devil isn’t going to fight you when you’re strong.  Why?!?  Because he’s a coward.  Lion’s are beautiful and regal looking animals but they’re lazy cowards.  When they attack they don’t just jump in and take what they want.  They sneak around as they follow a pack of animals.  They wait for the moment one of the animals wanders away from the pack and is by itself or has been weakened for one reason or another THEN it attacks.  They may have a loud roar but that’s all it is….a lot of noise.  The devil isn’t going to fight you when you’ve been praying, fasting,  and/or reading your word…..because you’re armed and ready to fight.  That lazy coward waits until you’re weak and THEN he pounces.  BE SOBER AND VIGILANT…..stay on guard!!  Pay attention those red flags….the Holy Spirit is trying to tell you something!!!  When the warning light comes on PAY ATTENTION TO IT!!!  It’s possible you could be driving around with a slow leak that will eventually leave you broken down on the side of life’s highway.