Imagine your life as a long road leading toward your purpose. Some parts are smooth, others bumpy; maybe there’s a river with no bridge, steep hills, and places with clearer signs or more lanes. Sometimes, others will be driving alongside you, and sometimes, solitude will be your only passenger.
You’re speeding down the highway toward your dreams when a huge traffic light ahead turns YELLOW. Growing up in Costa Rica, I learned we often take yellow as a prompt to hurry up before it turns red or before the other cars on green start moving. In life, yellow lights are those critical moments where you’re faced with big decisions—whether to rush ahead or to proceed with caution, moments when temptation clashes with responsibility and conscience. Just as a yellow light signals CAUTION, it’s God’s way of telling us to pause and seek His guidance. Ignoring it could lead to decisions that derail us. These are times to slow down and seek God’s wisdom.
“Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path.” – Psalm 119:105 (NIV)
A few seconds later, the light turns RED. Now you have to stop. These red lights represent those seasons when you feel stuck, like you’re at a standstill while others seem to speed by. Maybe your friends are graduating, getting married, launching businesses, or reaching their dreams while you feel like you’re still waiting. I know how frustrating this can be, but remember, no one turns off their engine and walks away from the car when the light’s red. Neither should you let a season of waiting bring you down. The red light won’t last forever—it’s a time to be ready, as the light is about to change.
“I wait for the Lord, my whole being waits, and in his word I put my hope. I wait for the Lord more than watchmen wait for the morning, more than watchmen wait for the morning.” – Psalm 130:5-6 (NIV)
Then, suddenly, the light turns GREEN. It’s time to move toward your goal. If you don’t act quickly, others behind you may be held back as well. As ministers, leaders, or simply people of faith, we have to recognize those “windows of opportunity” to move forward. Miss these moments, and the light will turn red again. Chase your dreams, turn them into projects, place them in God’s hands, and trust Him as you step FORWARD.
“On one of these journeys I was going to Damascus with the authority and commission of the chief priests. About noon, King Agrippa, as I was on the road, I saw a light from heaven, brighter than the sun, blazing around me and my companions.” – Acts 26:12-13 (NIV)
“Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, ‘This is the way; walk in it.’” – Isaiah 30:21 (NIV)
Whatever setbacks you’ve faced, this is the time to focus on reaching your goal. That’s the purpose of the traffic light. It’s the light of God’s Word, guiding and perfectly timing each step. So keep going!
“Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.” – Philippians 3:13-14 (NIV)