I started reading "Wealth Conundrum" by Ralph Doudera and am finding the insights both revelational and practical. In the chapter titled "Relax and Win," Doudera points out how many people have pre-conceived ideas as to what is spiritual and what is not. In this example, he talks about racing (a subject that sparks my interest!)To some people, driving a race car doesn't seem like a Christian thing to do, and my dad still doesn't let me talk to him about it, but I want to dispel the notion that my spiritual life and my racing activities are not related. I have learned a lot about my relationship with God by driving race cars.
... Several years ago, I decided to buy a Twin Turbo Porsche. I had the money available, but since they were very rare at that time I had to shop around to find one to use for racing. After I made the decision, I decided to pray about it, thinking my request would just get a rubber stamped for approval because I had the funds available ... Listening carefully to the Still Small Voice within, I was impressed that God said emphatically, NO!
When I asked Him why not, He said I wasn't good enough yet to use a car with that much power (over 400 hp). So I committed to learning to drive the car I had, an M5 BMW. I went to several driving schools ... and worked hard on learning how to drive a medium-powered car.
A year or two later, after I had forgotten all about my dream car, I was in a church worship service and out of nowhere I heard in my heart a message to go and get the Twin Turbo. Sometimes I think that God laughs at all the religious stuff that people do. He just wants a relationship.
I agree with Doudera that God is interested in giving us the desires of our hearts when the time is right. Doudera goes on to say, I try not to miss worship on Sunday mornings because it is the highlight of the week for me. This is when I can best hear directly from God, specifically to me, about the practical areas of my life.
The Porsche I really wanted was a 1997 Twin Turbo-S, the last of the air-cooled lined of turbocharged Porsches that came with 424 horsepower right from the factory. It was a limited edition model that was available by special order. Reservations for these cars had to be placed within a 24-hour period with no advance notice given, and you had to put down a non-refundable deposit of $20,000. I had missed the deadline, and found out that there would be only 180 of them made worldwide, and they were all sold.
Knowing how impossible it would be to find one, I asked a friend who referred me to a dealer in Florida who might know something about the car. I called ... and a sales rep ... laughed when I told him what I wanted.
He said that someone had canceled their order less than an hour before my call, and the sales team had just finished a meeting about it ... they were all on the phones calling their clients ... [the car] would be sold in an hour. I told him it was mine and gave him my charge card number for deposit.
Again, my thoughts are in agreement with Doudera's that this is the way life is supposed to work! God's timing, not my timing. No stress, no worry, no hurry, no guilt. Always being willing to let any deal go without anxiety. Whether it is getting a new car ... or hiring new employees, I am learning to turn over all my decisions - both big and small - to God, and not to get obsessed with getting things I want immediately.
One thing I have learned. When someone tells me that I have to act quickly to buy something or it will be gone, I never buy on those terms.
I believe the same principle applies for life all around - whether it be a job offer, pursuing a new hobby, receiving invitations to get to know some better or marriage proposals for that matter. If God wants me to have it, it will be there after I have a chance to discuss it with Him. If I am all stressed out and in a hurry, I am probably not listening, but acting ahead of Him.
This is a good (and true) picture of what it is like to have a relationship with God. He knows our deepest desires and wants to give us good gifts, even gifts that the traditional mindset may not and cannot associate as a spiritual thing, i.e., racing, diving, dancing, etc.
My experiences indicate that I learn the most about spirituality and Christian living by being in the marketplace and doing activities that I enjoy. Amazing revelations seem to crop up when I am on holiday either diving, climbing mountains, and yes ... even shopping!
May we allow our traditional mindsets to undergo a paradigm shift. May we have the best adventures as we pick up courage to relate to and journey with a true and living God!
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