Paying Attention to My Dashboard

I looked at my gas gauge as I pulled into our driveway for the third time that day. I realized I was down to a quarter tank of gas. I tend to watch the gas gauge in my car carefully. I do not want to run out of fuel. My husband would tell you I get anxious if the gauge reads less than an eighth of a tank. Paying attention to the gauges on my dashboard is important, but do I pay attention to the gauges and warning lights of my life?

The Dashboard of Life

Jesus often used metaphors in his teaching. Metaphors help us access truths easily and fully. Think about the dashboard of your car with all its gauges and warning lights. Now, consider the dashboard for you. Do you have warning lights and gauges for your life?

We learn to operate our cars and pay attention to their dashboards to steward them well. We can also steward our lives wisely as we learn to read our personal dashboards—especially when the Spirit guides us. Proverbs 4:23 reminds us to guard our hearts, and this is one way to practice this exhortation.

The dashboard of our inner life?

The Fuel Gauge

What is the fuel gauge for your life and soul? What kind of fuel gives you energy? How do you know when your tank is nearly empty? Are you running on fumes with a red light glowing on your dashboard? When you feel depleted, what do you need? What does that look like for you? Are you more irritable or grumpy? Perhaps you're struggling to focus or relying on adrenaline and caffeine to function?

The Temperature Gauge

What about the temperature gauge for your engine? How do you pay attention to your emotions? Are you aware when your inner engine is getting dangerously hot and your anger level is approaching the red zone? When does anxiety hinder your life, limiting your ability to engage in beneficial risks? Do you notice uncomfortable emotions before they escalate into panic or explosion?

God created us to feel; it’s part of our design. What do you need to feel, and how do you need to regulate your emotions while walking with God? Emotions act as indicator lights on the dashboard of your inner life: shame, anger, delight, fear, anticipation, and more. They indicate what happens within and can guide you to process and experience life well. "When we hide from what we feel—from emotion—we hide from the truth. Remember that emotion is not a debatable phenomenon. It is an authentic reflection of our subjective experience, one that is best served by attending to it." (Curt Thompson, Anatomy of the Soul).

I need to pause and pay attention. Can I feel the emotion, name it, and bring it into prayer? The Psalms can guide our prayers as we navigate our emotions. A counselor, spiritual director, or wise friend can also help us process.

How full is your tank?

Warning Lights

Warning sounds and lights trigger alerts when a seatbelt isn’t buckled or a car door isn’t closed properly. What signals remind you when healthy boundaries are missing in your relationships or work schedule? How can you re-establish those boundaries where they are needed? What other warning lights and gauges might inform your inner life?

The Speed Gauge

How do you pay attention to the speed gauge? What is the optimal pace for your life in this season? This may depend on your limits and where you are driving. Speed must align with weather conditions and the road's terrain. During stormy seasons or on treacherous roads, it’s wise to slow down. Conversely, there are times when accelerating is needed. To enjoy travel, accomplish our purpose, and arrive safely, we must be attentive to many factors. Some factors are external—like the road, other cars, and traffic signals. Others are internal, within ourselves.

Paying Attention

Curt Thompson reminds us to "Pay attention to what we are paying attention to" in his book, Anatomy of the Soul. Step back for a moment. How could the metaphor of a car's dashboard serve as a reflection and prayer tool for your life?

Where do you tend to focus your attention? Where do you tend to avoid being mindful? If you continually look outside yourself for sources of angst and neglect your own heart, you are in a significant danger zone.

If life becomes derailed due to consistent challenges, relational conflicts, health issues, or debilitating fatigue, you may have developed a habit of ignoring the warning lights that God has provided.

Living well involves engaging both the external world and the internal world. We must learn to read our body and soul dashboards, attentive to their cues, and particularly receptive to the Spirit of God guiding us.

Pushing Beyond Limits

I remember my first flat tire on my first car, a Dodge Omni. I was driving home at night after visiting a friend. Initially, something felt off, but eventually, the sound and vibrations made it clear, even to this naive driver, that I had a tire problem. I was anxious and just wanted to get home, so I drove on the flat tire. I was relieved to make it back, but I later learned the wheel was damaged beyond repair. I can only plead youth and ignorance for how I ignored the warning signs. Nowadays, my vehicle has a warning light that indicates trouble long before I notice it.

Are we as attentive to our inner lives as we are to the vehicles we drive?

Finally, cars need regular maintenance: tune-ups, minor repairs, and oil changes. Sometimes, major repairs are necessary. A mechanic often reminds me that consistent upkeep is vital for my car’s well-being. Do I wait until issues become glaringly obvious?

Our lives need care too. I engage in daily and weekly practices to remain attentive to God. Seasonal "soul tune-ups" are also necessary. For me, a "soul tune-up" involves retreat—a deliberate pause from my usual rhythms to attend to God. Retreat has become crucial in my spiritual walk—a place for realignment, repair, and renewal. During retreats, I deeply pay attention to the Triune God: the designer, sustainer, and source of my life.

As you steward your beautiful, God-designed life, how do you pay attention to God’s invitation regarding the needs of your life, both internal and external?

Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life.

Proverbs 4:23 NLT

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