For the woman who wants to skip to the good part (but maybe shouldn’t)
The Day I Discovered the Secret Weapon of Theme Parks
Picture this: me, standing in the blazing Florida sun, feeling like I was melting into the pavement while my kids whined about being thirsty for the forty-seventh time. We’d been in line for what felt like seventeen hours (okay, maybe two) to ride a roller coaster that would last exactly 45 seconds.
As I questioned every life choice that led me to this moment, I noticed something peculiar. There was another line. A magical line where people looked… happy? Refreshed? Like they hadn’t just survived a desert expedition to ride Space Mountain?
These folks wore little bands around their wrists—like secret society bracelets that whispered, “We know something you don’t know.” And boy, did they ever. Welcome to the Fast Pass, friends. The golden ticket to skipping the suffering and getting straight to the good stuff.
Naturally, the next day found me several hundred dollars lighter but infinitely wiser, sporting my own Fast Pass bracelet like a badge of honor.
(Side note: Disney has since “improved” this system by replacing the Fast Pass with something called Lightning Lane. Apparently, we needed our shortcuts to have even fancier names. How’s that for progress?)
When Life Doesn’t Offer Express Lanes
Here’s the thing about us women—we’ve gotten really, really good at finding shortcuts. We’ve got Instacart for groceries, Netflix for commercial-free binge sessions, and about seventeen different apps that promise to make our lives easier, faster, and more efficient.
But then life happens. Real life. The kind that doesn’t come with a Fast Pass option.
Your marriage hits a rough patch, and you find yourself Googling “how to fix relationship problems in 5 easy steps.” Your finances are a mess, and you’re looking for that one budgeting hack that will transform your bank account overnight. You’re struggling with anxiety, and you want the prayer that will instantly restore your peace. Or maybe you’re in a season of waiting—for healing, for answers, for breakthrough-and you’re desperately searching for a way to fast-forward to the resolution.
Listen, I’ve been there, friend…
The Problem with Our Inner Control Freak
When we start hunting for life’s Fast Pass, we’re essentially tapping God on the shoulder and saying, “Hey, I’ve got a better idea. How about we speed this up?”
But here’s what Isaiah 55:8-9 reminds us: “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord. “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.”
Translation: God’s GPS might take us on what looks like the scenic route, but He knows something we don’t—where the real traffic jams are, which roads are washed out, and exactly when we need to stop for gas (or grace).
The Net-Casting Kind of Obedience
Remember when Jesus told His disciples to cast their nets on the other side of the boat? These were professional fishermen who had been working all night with zero results. They were tired, probably frustrated, and definitely ready to call it quits.
Then Jesus shows up with what probably sounded like the most obvious suggestion ever: “Try the other side.”
Now, if I were one of those disciples, I might have rolled my eyes a little. Really, Jesus? The other side? We’re professionals here. We know what we’re doing.
But here’s the beautiful part—they obeyed immediately. No arguments, no “but we already tried everything,” no demanding an explanation of the fishing strategy. They just did what Jesus said.
And their nets became so full they couldn’t even haul them into the boat.
The Unexpected Benefits of Taking the Long Way
When we stop frantically searching for the express lane and start following Jesus’ lead—even when His directions don’t make sense—something amazing happens. We don’t just arrive at our destination; we are transformed along the way.
That rocky season in your marriage? It might be teaching you both about grace and forgiveness in ways that can’t be rushed. The financial struggle? Perhaps it’s developing your faith muscles and showing you what really matters. The waiting season? Maybe it’s preparing your heart for something bigger than you imagined.
God isn’t trying to make things harder for us. He’s not withholding the Fast Pass because He’s mean. He’s developing something in us that can only happen in the process, not in the outcome.
Embracing the Journey (Even When It’s Bumpy)
So what does this look like practically? How do we live as women who trust God’s timing instead of constantly looking for shortcuts?
First, we surrender our need to control the timeline. This doesn’t mean we become passive or stop taking action. It means we hold our plans loosely and stay open to God’s redirection.
Second, we look for God in the process, not just in the destination. What is He teaching you right now? How is He growing your character? What aspects of His nature are you discovering in this season?
Third, we practice obedience in the small things. Like those disciples casting their nets, sometimes God’s instructions seem simple or even silly. Do it anyway. Follow His lead, even when you can’t see the bigger picture.
The Fast Pass You Actually Need
Here’s the beautiful truth: while there’s no Fast Pass for life’s difficult seasons, there is something infinitely better. There’s a relationship with Jesus that transforms every waiting room into a place of growth, every detour into an adventure, and every challenge into an opportunity to see God’s faithfulness.
When we stop trying to skip to the good part and start trusting that God is working in every part—the messy middle, the uncomfortable beginning, the uncertain in-between—we discover something remarkable: the journey with Jesus is the destination.
So the next time you find yourself frantically searching for life’s Fast Pass, take a deep breath and remember: God’s timing isn’t just perfect—it’s purposeful. And His ways, though higher than ours, always lead to something better than we could have imagined.
Trust the process, friend. The best is yet to come.
What area of your life are you most tempted to want a “Fast Pass” for right now? Remember, God sees the whole picture while we only see today. His pace is perfect for your growth in Him.