Palm Sunday: Why You’re Missing What God is Doing Right Now
- 5 days ago
- 5 min read
Imagine you’re on a mission. You have a destination in mind, a deadline to meet, and a GPS telling you that you’re exactly four minutes behind schedule. In that moment, anyone or anything in your way is an obstacle. You’re "be-lining" it. You’re ignoring the scenery, you’re ignoring the passengers, and you’re certainly not stopping for a scenic overlook. You might even find yourself viewing a speed limit as a "speed suggestion" because getting there is the only thing that matters.
We’ve all been there. Whether it’s driving to Nashville for a 4:15 PM meeting or rushing through a grocery store, that "get out of my way" mentality is powerful. But here is the sobering reality: When we live our lives in the driver’s seat with that level of intensity, we become blinded by what we want God to do, and we completely miss what He is actually doing right now.
On this Palm Sunday, we have to ask ourselves: Are we so focused on where we want to go that we’ve lost sight of who we are becoming on the way?
The Trap of the "Should-Have" Timeline
There is a unique kind of anxiety that plagues our generation. It’s the weight of the "should-haves." We see it in students, young professionals, and even those later in life. It sounds like this: "I’m twenty-something and I should have accomplished this by now. I should be married by now. I should have this house, this career, or this level of influence by now."
When our lives don't match the timeline we’ve drawn for ourselves, we label ourselves as failures. We get so locked into the destination that the journey feels like a waste of time. But if you are in Christ, you need to understand something vital: Jesus isn't worried about your destination if you have the Holy Spirit.
Why? Because if you are sealed with His Spirit, your eternal destination is secure. What He is most concerned with is who you are in the process. What good is it to gain the whole world—to hit every goal on your timeline—only to lose your soul in the process? We see this throughout the Bible. King Saul started strong, but he got "lost in the sauce" of his own ego and control. He reached the destination of kingship, but he lost his heart along the way.
The Revelation of the Passenger Seat
Have you ever noticed how different a road trip feels when you move from the driver’s seat to the passenger seat? When you’re driving, you’re tense. You’re watching the road, the mirrors, and the clock. But the moment you switch seats, the world opens up. You start noticing the mountain ranges. You see the clouds. You notice the weird billboards you’ve passed a dozen times but never actually read.
In the passenger seat, you are aware. You are observant. And most importantly, if you trust the person behind the wheel, you can rest.
When you trust your driver, you can nod off. You can let go of the "white-knuckle" grip on the handle. But many of us treat our walk with God like we’re driving a car with a student driver. We’re sitting there with our hands hovering over the wheel, ready to jerk it back the moment God makes a "suspect" left turn. We have control issues, and because we refuse to let Him drive, we are exhausted, anxious, and blind to the beauty of what He is building in our lives today.
Rest as an Act of Worship
One of the hardest things for a person with control issues to do is rest. We think we have to work seven days a week to make up the difference. We chase an extra fifty dollars on a paycheck—money that will probably just go to taxes anyway—at the expense of our peace.
But here is a perspective shift: Rest is worship because it tells your flesh who is actually in control.
When you take a Sabbath, when you choose to stop "driving" for a moment, you are making a declaration. You are saying, "God, You are going to do what I can't do. I can go to sleep in this car because I know that when I wake up, You will have brought me to a place I couldn't have reached on my own." If you don't know how to rest, you don't truly know how to worship, because worship requires a surrender of control.
The Palm Sunday Connection
This brings us to the heart of Palm Sunday. Two thousand years ago, a crowd gathered to welcome Jesus into Jerusalem. They were shouting "Hosanna!" and waving palm branches. They wanted a King. They wanted God in the car, but they didn't want Him to drive.
The people of Israel had a destination in mind: political freedom, the overthrow of Rome, and national prosperity. They had a timeline and a set of goals. When Jesus didn't "drive" toward their specific destination, the same crowd that cheered Him on Sunday was calling for His crucifixion by Friday. They missed the Savior of the world because He didn't fit their itinerary.
We do the same thing. We want God to bless our plans, but we don't want Him to change our plans. We want the benefits of His Kingdom without the surrender to His leadership.
Key Takeaways for the Journey
Check Your Grip: Are you "white-knuckling" your life? Identify the areas where you are afraid to let God take the wheel.
Focus on Character over Career: Ask God not just "Where am I going?" but "Who am I becoming?"
Practice Rest as Resistance: Use your Sabbath to remind yourself that the world doesn't stop turning when you stop working. Trust the Driver.
Look Out the Window: Stop being so destination-obsessed that you miss the people God has placed in your path right now.
Conclusion: Switching Seats
Our creative team recently put up a banner where people could write down their sins and cover them with red paint—a beautiful, messy reflection of how the blood of Jesus covers our past. It’s a reminder that we don’t have to be perfect to be part of the story. We just have to be present.
God isn't looking for you to have it all figured out by age twenty-five, thirty, or fifty. He isn't impressed by your ability to hit a deadline. He wants your heart. He wants you to enjoy the journey with Him.
Are you ready to move to the passenger seat? It might feel uncomfortable at first. You might feel the urge to reach for the wheel. But when you finally let Him drive, you’ll realize that the destination He has for you is far better than the one you were speeding toward. This week, let go of the timeline, embrace the rest, and start noticing what God is doing in the "right now."
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