Non-automatic Drive

“I don’t want to do this anymore,” I sat there, in that dull, quiet, dingy room, waiting for the lady who was to do the drivers test with me in any minute. It was the morning of my eighteenth birthday, and this was hardly what I had planned on doing in the early hours of a Saturday morning, let alone my birthday! Yet, the computer had randomly chosen this specific date for the test, so there I was! (In South Africa, one is only allowed to get their drivers licence from the age of eighteen onwards. So I was effectively doing the test at the earliest permissible time. It was also very rare to find someone, who had done the test within the past four or so years, that had passed the first time! It usually took two or three more attempts in order to earn your drivers licence.)

“You can do it, sweetie. Just remember everything I’ve taught you. You’ll be fine,” replied Emma, my driving instructor, with assurance, her gorgeous blue-green eyes looking at me in sympathy. She was busy sewing the Lord’s Prayer onto a piece of creamy fabric for a friend, her fleshy fingers working expertly without all too much effort at all.

I knew she was right; yet, I had a long track record that defied her remark. I had never won gold in any event I had competed in, and I never did very well in the physical examinations for any sport I participated in. I was far better in the whole field of education; my skills lay in the mental stuff. I just got so apprehensive before tests like these, and it was my downfall.

I forced a smile in an attempt to assure her that I would do my best. Doubt still lingered in my mind, and it must’ve reflected in my eyes, for she gave me a side hug and reassured me again that it would work out okay.

The room had an oppressive feel to it. It did anything but make you relaxed. The chairs were plastic and not very comfortable, the walls were white with dirty hand and fingerprint markings scattered all over it, and the only poster they had on the wall was one that read, ‘Stay Alive. Don’t Drink And Drive.’

I continued to sit there, mentally going over everything I had learnt in the past five months. I knew Emma was right. I knew I would pass if I didn’t allow my incredibly overwhelming sense of insecurity and nervousness to take over.

As I began to pray, for the thousandth time, that the Lord would prevail over this scary situation, Jane, the woman who was to do the testing with me, walked into the small room. Her tall and slim figure, dark skin, and strikingly beautiful, brown eyes drew my attention instantly.

“Hi! Andrea Hammond?” she asked with hesitance, unsure whether I was the girl she was looking for or not.

“That’s me,” I replied with uneasiness, still not fully confident in my capability to succeed in the test.

As we shook hands in greeting, she then wished me a very happy birthday! She must’ve noticed the similarity in the dates. I warmed up to her instantly and thanked her. Before leaving the oppressive environment of the waiting room, I looked back at Emma, smiled, and shrugged my shoulders to indicate submission to whatever was to take place. Emma’s pretty, round face lit up as she smiled back at me, her lips mouthing the words ‘Good luck’.

I then turned around again and marched after Jane into the unknown. Silently, I prayed that God would give me the ability to do well in the examination, that He would strip me of my fears and give me the strength of character to succeed in this.
We walked into the testing yard, and she requested that I do the pre-trip inspection that was required before getting into the car.

After I went through the whole list of things that I had to say in order to pass the pre-trip, she nodded in approval and asked me to get into the car. I was shaking so badly, but somehow managed to get through the hill start, both parallel parking manoeuvres, the three-point turn, and both attempts at alley docking!

I rejoiced inwardly when she got into the car with me, buckled up, and asked me to drive out onto the main road. ‘Phase one: complete,’ I thought to myself.
I drove through the streets, obeying every command given, and successfully managed to pass the second, and final, part of the drivers test!
After we got back to the traffic department, she scribbled something on the pad of paper she had sitting on her lap.

Then she turned to me and said, “Congratulations, Andrea! You have passed your drivers licence!”

I was thrilled! We walked back into the 70s styled traffic department that appeared a little run down and shabby. I didn’t notice, however, for I was too busy thanking the Lord for His incredible generosity towards me.

As we walked past Emma, still sitting patiently in the waiting room, working on her piece of fabric, I looked at her, grinned, and mouthed, ‘I passed!’ before going into Jane’s small office.

“Well, Andrea, aside from driving too slow a couple of times, and aside from shifting without looking into your rear view mirror once or twice, you did a good job and passed successfully. Well done,” she informed me with a smile.

“Thank you,” I replied with child-like excitement. “Thank you so very much! This is the greatest birthday present anyone could have ever given me! You have no idea how much I appreciate this!”

“You’re welcome,” she said with a laugh, “but you know that this was all you. I just did the evaluating.”

“I’m not so sure of that,” I remarked. “There was most certainly a higher Power involved in this.”

“Possibly, but, either way, you passed! You are now free to roam in a car anywhere you like, as long as you stick to the speed limits and such, of course.”
We both laughed.

“Well, have a great day, Andrea! I hope that you enjoy the rest of your birthday and the use of your newly acquired drivers licence! By the way,” she added, “tomorrow will my birthday too. So that’s partly how I noticed your birth date.”

“Wow! That’s really awesome,” I remarked. “Happy birthday for tomorrow. I hope you have an incredible day! Thank you again, for assisting me in passing my drivers! Have a nice day.”

With that, I strode out of her little office with confidence. I still could not believe I had done it! All those months of practice were finally paid off! I was now a licensed driver.

All while doing those exercises on the road and in the parking lot, I kept asking the Lord to give me strength, to give me hope, to give me peace. Most who do their drivers test never even get out of the parking lot! It was my weakest point in driving, and it still is. Yet, despite the fact that I could barely control my legs from the intense amount of shaking, despite the doubts that kept invading my mind, despite my inability to do well in tests like this, God worked a miracle and enabled me to get through it all!

Often, I automatically assume I’m going to fail. What drives me doesn’t always involve Christ. That experience taught me that He was, is, and always will be my strength in everything I do. I just need to put my faith in Him and He will work through me in the most incredible way. God will always be there for me. He will be my source of fuel if I only ask it of Him.

My automatic drive tends to get me into trouble a lot. I now know that my non-automatic drive is better, for the Lord knows me better than I do. Why wouldn’t He? He created me, along with that drive. Automatic or not, I determined from that day on, that I would always strive to trust in Him. He now holds the key.