What Have Been Your "Chicago Moments" in Life?

Hey Everyone,

This is something I have been thinking about a lot lately.

When I was growing up, I considered my "hometown" to be Chicago, just because it was the largest city within range. I was actually a small-town girl who actually didn't live very close to Chicago at all, but it was a landmark everyone knew, and I have been to several of its major museums and sites. One afternoon many years ago, I was trying to get out of the middle of the city and back home. It was the biggest, craziest traffic I had ever encountered in my life, and I was praying the entire time, all the while gripping the steering wheel in white-knuckled fear. This was long before the days of GPS, so I was using instructions I had plotted and written out with a paper map. I was desperately trying to find Lakeshore Drive, because I remembered my parents saying, "If you can find Lakeshore Drive, you can find your way home."

"All" I had to do was find this seemingly elusive street through dozens of stoplights so packed that you have to stop right in the middle of cross lanes when the lights turn red, and a dinnertime rush-hour traffic jam that had you moving an inch at a time. But eventually God helped me find it, and I finally was able to make my way back home, along with a normal blood pressure.

Years later, I was driving through another large city on a major highway, when I suddently a bottleneck traffic jam -- what usually took me 10 minutes to whizz by took an hour and a half. The whole time I was thinking, "I survived Chicago... God will get me through this, too."

"Getting through Chicago" then became my metaphor for the toughest of life circumstances I found myself in. When I was in a very unpleasant job situation, I would pray, "Lord, please let this be my Chicago." In other words, "Please let this be the worst it's going to get for awhile, and please show me the path to get on to find my way home again. Please remind me that you got me through just when I thought it couldn't get any worse, and I know you will do it again. Thank you!"

I'm at a point in life right now where I know I am going to be facing a few more inevitable "Chicago Moments", so in order to prepare for them (and following examples we are given in the Bible,) I try to remind myself of the other hard times God has gotten me through, as reassurance that this time will be no different.

But I have to admit that I still feel anxious, because even when God does show us how to "find Lakeshore Drive" (the path we have to follow to "go home", or even just endure,) it is usually far from easy.

There are tough decisions that must be made, people and places that must be left behind, changes that have to be made that might make things worse in some ways and better in others.

I'm always trying to tell myself, "God got me through Chicago, He will get me through this," but I also keep praying that He would keep strengthening my faith.

What about you?

* What are some of your "Chicago Moments" -- the times God got you through, that you tuck away as a reminder in even tougher times that He will come through once again?

* How does remembering God's goodness to you in the past help you cope with an uncertain future?

* If you still suffer from doubts and fears, what does God lead you to do (along with regular study and prayer) that helps to calm your heart?

I'm probably the worst person imaginable to even attempt to answer your questions. The reason that I say that is because, in all seriousness, it's as if I've been perpetually "stuck in Chicago" for as long back as I can remember. In other words, my life has been one fiery trial after another, and there's really never been any gap in between for me to even catch my breath or to reflect upon things.

I still remember what happened one day after my divorce was finalized. It was as if God, for but a split second, pulled back the veil while showing me all of the horrors that I had somehow survived for many, many years while married. In all honesty, in but that split second, I felt as if I was going to disintegrate into nothing because there is no way that any human being could have possibly endured what I endured without constant Divine assistance.

This may sound hard to believe, but when I went blind in one eye several years ago (I was basically blind in both eyes for about a month), my reaction was literally "Whatever". In other words, I've somehow, by the grace of God, survived so many fiery trials in the past that it didn't really even phase me...as fearful as a thing that it could/should be.

I guess, then, that my answer to your question is that somehow God has kept me in one piece (or many shattered pieces that he's holding together) for so long that I just have this sort of quiet confidence that he'll continue to do so until my time on this earth is through.

My latest fiery trial is with my job...and I've got to get ready to head into the same momentarily. Not a pleasant situation there at all, but, somehow, God will see me through it.

His grace truly is sufficient.

*faze me

hmm I guess Im used to traffic jams in the city and being patient through them (or avoiding them!) I think mine would be the opposite maybe being lost in the countryside or going on the high way to an unknown destination never been to before thats miles away and trying to get there before dark so I can at least see the signs and surrounds.

I do remember on my travels being lost in foreign country on my own and maybe losing my passport and/or bearings and thats actually quite scary.

But I think the tougher times are in situations with people like maybe in a job where people are just rude and treat you like dirt. And you cant just walk away and quit, cos you are in the middle of it. and not without giving 2 weeks notice. (and finding another job)

This
Like gas
May stink
But will pass

Nothing is permanent. That is my comfort in any trial, that it won't last forever. The smallest pain would become unendurable if I knew it would last for all eternity, but I can take a lot if I know it won't last long. Just ask my dentist. =^.^=

I remember this one lady who was complaining about a certain stretch of road where she always, ALWAYS got stuck behind tractors, combines or other farm equipment that was borrowing the highway for a quick (relatively) hop to another field. It was the only road to where she had to go repeatedly - any other road would be many miles out of her way.

She was griping about it one day and her husband said, "Four miles."

"What?"

"It's four miles long. You can put up with anything for four miles."

People chewing my tail on the job, getting sick, being lost, all the drama and junk of life... All of it will pass. None of it will last forever. It's impossible for it to last forever.

And it never does. Right now I'm fine, and I have been fine for most of my life. The stuff I go through never lasts very long.

Oh yeah. I forgot to provide an example.

A few months ago I learned of a large bookstore with a large, and I mean LARGE area of discount used CDs. Like, more than 10,000 disks, all in a loooooong rack. It was a four hour drive from me, so I had to arrange for my aunt to stay with Grandma while I made this day trip out there. I figured four hours out, eight hours plowing through CDs and four hours back would be a good day.

When I left home I was feeling fine. When I got to the store I was feeling fine. But the more I stood there sorting through CDs, the worse I felt. After six hours I could barely stand up. I called it quits, paid for the CDs I had found and left. I didn't dare make the drive home. I crashed at a local Red Roof Inn for a few hours and wound up starting home about midnight. Turns out I was coming down with covid, far from home, all alone. Yay.

I never was really worried though. Whatever happened, I knew this too would pass eventually. And it did. I made it home the next morning, then slept a lot more for a few days until I got rid of covid. Then life continued fairly normally, like it usually does.

When I do hit a rough patch, I remember a Jonny Lang song.

Can't slow down
Not for the weather
Won't back down
I know it gets better
Too far now
If I can keep it together
I won't turn around
Not for just a bump in the road

Most of the road has been smooth. I may hit a bump here and there, and we humans seem to have the oddest tendency to focus on the bumps, but this is just another bump in the road. It'll pass.

Just to add, regarding 'Chicago' not ever having been there but I can imagine what its like and not just from what happened in the 'Chicago' musical (small town girl, Roxy Hart, meets up with bad girl Velma Kelly and murders her conniving pimp in effort to be a big name star)

There was a series of Christian novels set in Chicago called 'The Yada Yada Prayer Group' I think it was. By Neta Jackson

If you havent read them, maybe check them out of the library. It may restore your faith, at least in the city of Chicago. lol

My Chicago moments are every Sunday morning attending my online church which is based in a suburb of Chicago. I've been watching LWCC, Living Word Christian Center, for years. He has several ministries including a homeless and prison ministry plus Churches in other countries. I can join him live at 7am then join my home church at 9am live without leaving my room😂 on a lazy day.
Also 'My Kind of Town' still comes to mind by Sinatra such a classy song.

Im kinda wondering why you were gripping the steering wheel in white knuckle fear Seoul.

is it because you had to wait for the traffic to clear or some other reason? Heavy traffic in the city isnt anything to be fearful about I would think but I dont know I am not you. If you are just a learner driver it would probably be nerve wracking as well as being lost I suppose.

I guess you would just call those 'I cant move' situations or 'no way out' the biblical equivalent of God parting the Red Sea for the Israelites. It wasnt just cos they were stuck in Egypt with no escape route. But the Egyptians were coming after them and wouldnt let them go.

Oh and they were slave drivers to boot (yep, unpleasant job situations, relatable....!)

Try driving in Chicago in rush hour traffic and get back to me. People are nuts, the lanes are narrow, and you're worried about getting hit the whole time.

It might be a piece of cake for some, but for me it was definitely a white knuckle experience.

Actually my latest experience with Chicago drivers was extremely pleasant. I got hung up in rush hour traffic but the other drivers were extremely polite and following the rules. I was very pleasantly surprised. (And I'm a pessimist at heart)

The roads were full of potholes and very bad shape....but the other drivers were extremely good. I was a completely happy camper.

Nashville drivers.....ugggghhhhh. nasty and rude who will cut you off in a minute. Defensive driving is a must. Turn signals are for suckers is their motto. They will drive 10mph under the speed limit in the fast lane every day of the week. Make left hand turns from the right hand lane all the time....as well as right hand turns from the left lane too.

But.....in answering your question.

I can only do what I can do. Being in control is an illusion that gives so many people comfort and security for some reason. The truth is that God is Sovereign. And at times, standing on seeming thin air is more secure than standing on bedrock.

Faith is a muscle. It gets stronger when used. It becomes atrophied when neglected.

"Whatever my lot, Thou has taught me to say,
It is well, it is well with my soul. "

God enjoys giving good gifts to his kids....like any parent does. We often, like children, don't really understand why we go through the trials we do. He does. He will see us through. And it isn't always easy to have a good attitude. Who can?

But God looks out for his own....they may be pressed but will remain not crushed....bruised but unbroken. Some days when you are only in control of breathing in and out and your attitude... that's what you focus on. Otherwise you pick them up and put 'em down (feet) and keep moving forward.