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Rejoice in hope, endure in suffering, persist in prayer. Romans 12:12
Life is filled with steep mountains, treacherous footpaths, and delightful, easy meadows. Depending upon the specific circumstances that you are finding yourself in, you can probably line up your daily life on one of these landscapes. It seems that many days in life can be likened to a steep mountain...not necessarily treacherous, but definitely challenging and requiring focused attention to get through the day somewhat unscathed. Daily-ness. Bills to pay, sick kids to nurse, meals to cook, stress to manage. We all can relate.
Then there are the footpaths that have venomous snakes, thorns, and cliffs along the way. This landscape accurately portrays those extraordinarily hard times we all must experience throughout our time on this earth -- some more than others. Certainly there have been portions of my life-journey that would have to be called treacherous, such as when I gave birth to a still born baby girl, or was climbing the danger-infested trail of breast cancer, among other hardships, devastations, and trials.
But God is always faithful to grant a day here and there when I feel as though I am exuberantly skipping through a vibrant flowering meadow as I feel the healing sunshine warming my upturned face. You know those days. The ones where you spirit seems to be able to focus on the positive aspects of life. Your circumstances are somewhat in a calm state, your husband can do no wrong and those delightful children that you have...how did you get so blessed?!
From my own experience, I would have to say that the majority of my days are spent plodding up the mountainside, trying to be faithful, trying to keep my footing sure, and not taking too many rest breaks. My goal is the summit. Where is or what is the summit, you ask? Well, I'm not too sure, but I keep seeing glints of it as I strain my eyes to see where I am headed. My spiritual vision is detecting a smiling Jesus (my Shepherd) leading the way. He continues to beckon, lead, support, strengthen, and climb just ahead of me. He's not behind me pushing me along, but He's going just ahead, preparing the path that is just for me, scattering His promises along the way like vibrant petals of hope to encourage and capture my gaze. His intimate and very personal songs are echoing in my ears as I endeavor to stay as close to the hem of his garment as possible so as not to get distracted by fears or temptations. He makes sure that there aren't more briars and thorns than are needed to keep me dependent upon Him.
Of course, too many bright, open meadows would only cause me to slow down or stall and become soft and weak. His loving plans are too big and He loves me too much to allow that. He's building my endurance through the constant climb and preparing me in every way for my future trails, transforming me ever-so-slowly-but-surely for eternity.
I'm so grateful that life isn't a rose garden with a cushioned bench to recline on. The rugged wild terrain of the uncharted and adventurous mountains is what requires hard work, faith, endurance and fortitude! The reward lies in the distance...at the pinnacle of the peak. There is an abundance of sustaining grace and joy on the journey, even on the most rocky and life-threatening paths. When I reach that summit, it will be so worth it all!
I am keeping on. Are you with me?
Then there are the footpaths that have venomous snakes, thorns, and cliffs along the way. This landscape accurately portrays those extraordinarily hard times we all must experience throughout our time on this earth -- some more than others. Certainly there have been portions of my life-journey that would have to be called treacherous, such as when I gave birth to a still born baby girl, or was climbing the danger-infested trail of breast cancer, among other hardships, devastations, and trials.
But God is always faithful to grant a day here and there when I feel as though I am exuberantly skipping through a vibrant flowering meadow as I feel the healing sunshine warming my upturned face. You know those days. The ones where you spirit seems to be able to focus on the positive aspects of life. Your circumstances are somewhat in a calm state, your husband can do no wrong and those delightful children that you have...how did you get so blessed?!
From my own experience, I would have to say that the majority of my days are spent plodding up the mountainside, trying to be faithful, trying to keep my footing sure, and not taking too many rest breaks. My goal is the summit. Where is or what is the summit, you ask? Well, I'm not too sure, but I keep seeing glints of it as I strain my eyes to see where I am headed. My spiritual vision is detecting a smiling Jesus (my Shepherd) leading the way. He continues to beckon, lead, support, strengthen, and climb just ahead of me. He's not behind me pushing me along, but He's going just ahead, preparing the path that is just for me, scattering His promises along the way like vibrant petals of hope to encourage and capture my gaze. His intimate and very personal songs are echoing in my ears as I endeavor to stay as close to the hem of his garment as possible so as not to get distracted by fears or temptations. He makes sure that there aren't more briars and thorns than are needed to keep me dependent upon Him.
Of course, too many bright, open meadows would only cause me to slow down or stall and become soft and weak. His loving plans are too big and He loves me too much to allow that. He's building my endurance through the constant climb and preparing me in every way for my future trails, transforming me ever-so-slowly-but-surely for eternity.
I'm so grateful that life isn't a rose garden with a cushioned bench to recline on. The rugged wild terrain of the uncharted and adventurous mountains is what requires hard work, faith, endurance and fortitude! The reward lies in the distance...at the pinnacle of the peak. There is an abundance of sustaining grace and joy on the journey, even on the most rocky and life-threatening paths. When I reach that summit, it will be so worth it all!
I am keeping on. Are you with me?
