Need For Speed

Now I'm not the biggest gamer, but I do enjoy a good video game every once in a while.  One type of game that I like in particular are the Need For Speed games.  There's so much to the game.  You can do drag races, circuits, drifts, or even just drive around the town.  I also really enjoyed making my car go super fast and look super cool.  Contrary to the title of the game, sometimes a Need For Speed will get you in trouble. 

There are all sorts of courses you have to race, most of them have many twists and turn.  I learned quick that slamming the gas wasn't the best way to win the race.  Sure on the straightaways I did pretty well, but when the turns came, it was disastrous.  I learned quick that I needed to slow down when I saw a turn coming up, and my racing improved drastically. 

Racing is a lot like life.  We often think going as fast as we can will ensure our victory, but that's not true.  We have twists and turns in our life just like in the races, and if we don't slow down, we'll find that our slamming of the gas has slid us off course.  King Benjamin, in the Book of Mormon, gives us the same advice when he says, "...for it is not requisite that a man should run faster than he has strength." (Mosiah 4:27).  There's a time when a Need For Speed will do us good, but we need to be careful that we don't over do it.  For when we run faster than we have strength, we will inevitably fall.

Vroom Vroom

"Ka-chow, Ka-chow!"  Lightning McQueen boastfully celebrates his win at the beginning of the movie Cars.  He's caught up in his victory dance, that is if a car can dance, and doesn't realize what the next hour and a half (human time) will hold.  He sure is in for a reality check though.  There are a ton of great parts in this movie, but there is one scene that I'd like to focus on. 

In this scene, Doc Hudson AKA The Hudson Hornet, is trying to give Lightning McQueen some racing advice.  Doc says, "I'll put it simple: if you're going hard enough left, you'll find yourself turning right."  In a very sarcastic tone, McQueen responds with, "Oh, right.  That makes perfect sense.  Turn right to go left."  He throws Doc's advice to the curb without even considering it.  Why?  Because in McQueen's eyes, it doesn't make sense.

Many times we are like Lightning McQueen.  When we seek for advice, specifically through prayer, we may not always get the answer that we're expecting.  We'll often times get an answer that makes no sense to us.  Turn left to go right?  How will that ever work out?  1 Corinthians 1:25 says, "...the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men."

It all comes down to faith.  Do we have faith enough that if we turn left we will go right?  Will we listen to the answer we receive even if it makes no sense to us?  We must remember that God has created every track that we'll race on in this life.  He knows every bump, divet, and curve.  When we heed to the master's advice, we will find that we're not only happier, but we're winning the race as well.  Remember that God loves us and will never lead us astray.