Week 3 - Personal Story

Nancy shares her story of actually living out God’s message instead of seeing it and hardening her heart against it.

Nancy’s story
I was in college, a new Christian, and always in a hurry when I got behind the wheel of my car. I wanted to get where I was going as quickly as possible. I knew the posted speed limit, but consistently chose to ignore it when it suited me to do so. When there was little traffic around me or when driving on a highway outside of town, I consistently chose to travel over the posted speed limit. During a 6 month period of time I was pulled over 3 times and given speeding tickets. I’ll never forget the third occasion when I was driving from Austin to Houston and saw the police car lights flashing in my rearview mirror. My heart sank. When the police officer stood beside my car talking to me, it was as if Jesus Himself was standing there. I felt so humbled before that officer and before God. God used that officer to convict me of my defiant attitude. God was showing me that I had a heart problem before Him, and I was in complete agreement with Him. The verses in Romans taught me that those in authority over me were placed there by God and for my good.

"Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except by God’s appointment, and the authorities that exist have been instituted by God. So the person who resists such authority resists the ordinance of God, and those who resist will incur judgment (for rulers cause no fear for good conduct but for bad). Do you desire not to fear authority? Do good and you will receive its commendation, for it is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be in fear, for it does not bear the sword in vain. It is God’s servant to administer retribution on the wrongdoer."
Romans 13: 1-4

My defiance of the traffic laws was defiance of God Himself. I felt terrible and yet I felt relieved, too. I told God that day that I was through with my defiant attitude. In His grace and mercy He protected me from an accident during that time where I could have caused harm to myself and to others. I praise Him for loving me enough to remove me from that dangerous place of defiance.