The Space In Between

A NASCAR Story... Keep Reading

As many of you know, Dana and I are huge NASCAR fans. For anyone who did not know this face, I recognize I just put a huge label on my back. Yes... I own it! I am a redneck in every positive sense of that word and hopefully not in most of the negative ones. I bring this up, because today I heard an interview with a NASCAR series driver named Corrie Lajoie. Lajoie is recognized by most in the NASCAR garage (drivers, crew chiefs, and reporters) as being a very talented and underrated driver who has not gotten his 'break' with a competitive team. In the world of NASCAR, the right team matters a lot! You can put a mediocre driver in a fast car and he or she is likely to find some success. On the flip side, you can put a really talented driver, like Corrie Lajoie, in a mediocre car and not get great results at all.

Recently Corrie Lajoie was hired for one race by Hendrick Motorsports to fill in for Alex Bowman, one of their drivers who was out for a race or two due to a concussion. For all you non-NASCAR fans out there, Hendrick is the winningest team in NASCAR history. Hendrick drivers include: Jeff Gordon (4 time champion and 3rd all-time in wins), Jimmy Johnson (7-time champion), Dale Earnhardt Jr. (one of NASCAR's most famous icons) and Chase Elliott (Champion and 6 time fan favorite). Lajoie had previously driven for one of those mediocre (if not down right bad) teams I described earlier, BK Motorsports.

In a recent interview Corrie describes receiving a check from Hendrick Motorsports for the race he drove. Towards the end of his stint with BK Motorsports he describes bouncing a check and then eventually finishing out the season knowing he wasn't going to be paid at all.

"I kept the last, uh, BK check I ever got that bounced. The checks just stopped coming all together, and I just drove for free the rest of the year... and I literally put those two checks next to each other and how much stuff was between that check, the one that bounced and was never cashed to the one that came from Rick Hendrick. Like there's a lot of stuff that could be said about that, the space, you know the date in between those two checks"

This got me thinking about the 'space in between' in my life. Like most people, I have had seasons of beauty and wonder and awe at how God was moving. I have also had seasons of suffering, pain and questioning if God was even paying attention. I am not sure if Corrie Lajoie is even a believer, but there was surely some wisdom in his statement about the space in between.

In that season for Lajoie, he continued to work hard and remain faithful to his commitment. He knew he was not going to be successful for a team that was not even able to pay him as contracted. His finishes were abysmal during that time, but consistently better than expected. What happened as a result of his faithfulness? People were paying attention. As he continued showing up for work and remaining faithful, somewhere behind the scenes, people were talking. He was consistently finishing better than he should have based on the team he was driving for and the equipment he was in. He was studying and learning his craft, all the while improving his skill level at the different types of NASCAR tracks. People were noticing. Even important people, like Rick Hendrick. Eventually his faithfulness landed him a 'fill in' ride in the absolute best equipment in NASCAR with one of the best teams out there. We do not yet know what the ultimate result will be, but many in NASCAR believe that as a result of this single race with Rick Hendrick, Lajoie has likely secured himself a contract with a full-time team for the foreseeable future. It may not be with Hendrick, but it will likely be with a competitive team and give him the opportunity to showcase his talent in a legitimate way!

Faithfulness... even in times of hardship and suffering is crucial to our long term growth and walk with Jesus! I have often identified with the Apostle Paul when he writes about suffering in Romans 5:3-5.

"3 Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, 4 and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, 5 and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us."

I said I have often identified, not that I liked it. None of us love suffering when we're in it. In fact, when we are in it, it just downright stinks! I am sure that Corrie Lajoie was not super thrilled when he realized that his check had bounced. Nor was he loving it when he stepped into a car with a pit crew he knew gave him a zero chance of any type of respectable finish. Yet, week in and week out, he continued on! Eventually all of that suffering produced in him endurance. I believe his quote above indicates that all of that endurance produced in him character. What we also see in the quote... hope! It does not seem logical to say that suffering produces hope, especially when we are in the midst of it. But the reality is, if we are faithful in our suffering, it will produce endurance, endurance character, and character hope! In short-form... our suffering, should we choose to endure, does ultimately produce hope!!

So, for anyone reading this who is now in the midst of suffering of any type, great or small I remind you to stick it out! Remain faithful! God does actually know what He is doing. He is both sovereign and good and He is producing hope in your circumstance. Whether you are dealing with a cancer diagnosis, suffering through marriage struggles, having difficulty at work, or maybe even unemployed... God knows exactly what your suffering is and He is still in control. He will produce in you hope!! Just give him time and allow 'the space in between' to happen as you remain faithful!