Do you know what a “governor” is? The obvious answer is of course. It is a person who is the elected head of a public institution…like a state. But that’s not where I’m going with this blog. There’s a different definition. “It is a mechanism that controls the speed in a machine.” The intent of this device is to protect the engine and the occupants by slowing the machine down.
Years ago I was moving across the country with a rental truck. After loading everything, I jumped into the cab to start my adventure only to find out that the truck had a built-in governor that limited my top speed. That’s not necessarily a bad thing. I wish I had one on my car as a teenager. But this rental truck would not even allow me to drive the speed limit. Can you imagine traveling across the U.S. at 45 miles/hour? Even downhill? My two-day trip was stretched into three days. Ugh!
A governor, by design, slows you down…even if you don’t want to slow down. I’m convinced that God, in His wisdom and design, builds “governors” into our lives for our benefit. They slow us down. Some seem good and unfortunately, some don’t seem so good at first glance. Both have the same effect. They slow our lives down. Ultimately, they are for our good and well-being. It may be a health issue, a work-related issue, or even a home crisis. But they all slow us down. Where’s the benefit? You’ll have greater clarity. You’ll probably live longer. You’ll make better decisions and you’ll find that you preserve your own life and family. There’s another benefit. You’ll enjoy the journey. You know that cross-country trip? Because of that governor, I went slow enough to enjoy every mile. Just saying.