Back then, we were driving an old fluorescent orange Volkswagen, which my pastor’s wife had nicknamed “Mandarine.” We were spotted from far away in town, and none of our movements could go unnoticed. On top of that, it backfired cheerfully, which didn’t exactly add to the discretion of the setup.

The worst part was starting it up—it would fill the whole neighborhood with thick black smoke. Poor planet! As Christians full of faith, we had planned to travel across France with Mandarine to visit my family. Being a cautious driver, my husband had checked the engine oil. He had added a big can, since it consumed almost as much oil as gas.

After about a hundred kilometers, a red warning light started blinking on the dashboard. For me, a chronic worrier, a red light means immediate stop and emergency mode, but not for my husband—he won’t start worrying until the apocalypse is well underway.

“Stop, honey, something’s wrong!”
“Oh no, don’t worry, it’s just a loose connection!”

The “loose connection” started to last. My husband absentmindedly tapped the dashboard to “stop the loose connection.”

A few kilometers further, as we were driving through a completely deserted countryside and night was falling under a leaden sky, the hood started to smoke.
“Honey, look, this isn’t normal! Pull over.”
“Oh no, don’t worry, the engine is hot, and since it’s raining, the water is turning into steam.”

The “steam” was starting to resemble a sauna, and a burning smell triggered a big adrenaline rush in me. The “loose connection” just wouldn’t go away. But everything was fine—my husband was, as usual, calm and smiling, not the least bit worried, humming to himself.

Painfully, backfiring and smoking, we finally made it to my parents’ place. Sensing that “Mandarine” was in serious distress, my father dove under the hood as soon as the turbines stopped. He stood up completely stunned: the oil tank had not been closed, and all the oil had sprayed over the engine. Not a drop was left!

Mandarine had survived the ordeal… and so had I!

God regularly lights red warning signals in our lives. Sometimes it’s a feeling of unease, a lack of peace about a decision. Sometimes, someone tries to warn us; a passage from God’s Word or the experience of a friend may raise a flag. We really need to be sensitive to these signs, or we risk getting stuck in a messy or harmful situation. A truly good decision is one that is thoughtful, weighed carefully, aligned with God’s Word, compatible with our faith, and that brings peace to our hearts.

Is something bothering you, gnawing at you? Are you lacking peace about a decision or a direction in your life? Are you not 100% sure that God approves? Then stop everything, stand before God, and examine—in the light of His Word and His presence—whether what you’re about to do is right.

Don’t ignore a red warning light. Instead, pray like the apostle Paul to be “transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may discern the will of God—what is good, pleasing, and perfect,” because some mistakes come at a high price…

This text is an excerpt from the book “365 DAYS AT THE MASTER’S FEET” written by Several French-speaking authors, the main one being Jérémy Sourdril.

We invite you to read the next article: “REDEEMING THE TIME”