With fuel prices being what they are, I think a lot of us are trying to figure out how to stretch a gallon a little further. I’ve heard some tips and suggestions lately about how to do this, and some of them have been helpful.
One that particularly stood out has to do with tire balance, inflation, and alignment.
Balance, proper inflation, and correct alignment are key to your car’s tire performance. Under-inflated tires and misaligned wheels cause your car’s engine to work harder to achieve the same number of miles. And that harder work results in increased fuel usage. On top of that, when your tires aren’t balanced or inflated properly, or your wheels are out of alignment, they wear more quickly, and extremely unevenly. And if you think gas is expensive, try buying four new tires and having them mounted, balanced, and aligned.
As I listened to these tips, I realized that there’s a spiritual application that “aligns” with what’s going on with my car’s tires.
When the wheels are out of alignment “just fractions of an inch” your car doesn’t want to go straight. It wants to wander. As drivers, we inadvertently compensate for this by trying to hold the steering wheel in the direction we want to go. While that may get us to our destination, our tires take a beating from it. Out of balance and underinflated tires compound the issue. Over time, these things can cause our tires to wear unevenly and become unsafe.
Our lives can be like those tires.
When our lives go out of alignment with God’s standards, they tend to want to veer from the course God has set for us. He keeps encouraging us to adjust our direction and tolerances, but the process can cause friction and heat in our relationship. It’s only when we allow Him to “re-balance and realign” what’s gone out of tolerance, that this friction is eliminated. But, if I’m being honest, I’m not always the best judge of how my “life tires” are performing.
When we take our cars into the shop, the mechanic or technician can perform measurements to help diagnose our issues. The same is true in our lives. We need to be consistently comparing “how things are running” against the standard God has set for us. A millimeter or two out of tolerance may not seem like much, but over time (or miles) it can turn into quite an issue.
For that reason, I’d encourage you to be honest with yourself when your arms are getting tired from fighting the wheel of where your life has been heading lately. It’s amazing what happens when you allow God to adjust and dial in your alignment.
by Jon Hull