A $1.49 pushrod ended the relationship between myself and my truck. 30 years ago, I had purchased a 1954 Chevy Truck. A classic pickup that I displayed in car shows and to this day it is still my favorite vehicle that I have owned. I absolutely loved that truck. I drove it for 3 years while I was in the Army stationed at Fort Bragg, North Carolina. Toward the end of my stint in the Army I noticed that my truck began losing oil pressure. I shared this issue with my buddies who I worked with. We were all mechanics and after looking at the engine of my truck we all came to the conclusion that we needed to rebuild the engine. BIG mistake! We set about tearing the engine apart and then putting it back together over the course of a couple of weeks. But once we put it back together it wouldn’t run. No matter how much we tried we could not get that thing to start. And by this time my enlistment in the Army was up and I need to make my way back home to California.
So, I set off on a solo trip across country with a Budget rental moving truck towing my Chevy behind me. I ended up back in California where I shard with my cousin, who was into hot rods and classic vehicles, what the problem was. He went about looking at the engine and very quickly determined the source of my problem…a bent push rod. Somehow, my buddies and I had missed this important flaw. I could have saved myself a lot of heartache and a lot of money had I first of all sought out the counsel of experts who specialized in Chevy trucks, instead of relying on the counsel of myself and my buddies.
Seeking out an expert is always a good thing especially when it comes in areas of personal growth, marriage and relationships. And in my opinion there isn’t a better expert that a qualified Christian counselor. So often we think that we can fix things ourselves. And perhaps over time you have made some half-hearted attempts to get things right in your world. But, like a diet that doesn’t stick, you end up going back to the same habits that you once had. I’m of the belief that everyone needs counseling. All of us can use the help of an expert. One who can provide us with the tools to navigate the messy areas of our lives. With us still at the front end of the New Year take a posture of humility and go sit with an expert. It just might change your life!