“And your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, “This is the way, walk in it,” when you turn to the right or when you turn to the left.” Isaiah 30:21 ESV
I mentioned at the end of my last post there is a companion visual to the Trail Guide; you can now download the Take a H.I.K.E. Trail Map!
One familiar passage in Scripture is Proverbs 3:5-6. I’m sure many of us have it committed to memory and can recite it at will.
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart,
and do not lean on your own understanding.
In all your ways acknowledge him,
and he will make straight your paths.” ESV
Are these verses familiar to you? Sometimes, when passages of Scripture are familiar, we can gloss over them without a second thought or deeper study. I liken it to the way we drive through familiar areas around town or near our homes. I can’t tell you how many times I have had drivers shoot out of their driveways or run through stops signs right in front of me because they have grown desensitized by the typical light traffic.
When we lean on our own understanding, we miss a lot! The most important thing we can miss is the tendency to get stuck in a negative mindset of our own making. A mindset that suits us because it is largely self-focused. It makes perfect sense to us! This mindset can lead us to make assumptions, project our past experiences onto future possibilities, catastrophize, doubt, overthink…and so on. Can you relate?
How many times have you felt like you didn’t have a choice? How many times have you gotten yourself worked up and anxious ruminating on every terrifying possibility you could imagine? How often have you allowed those fears and doubts to prevent you from stepping out and trusting God?
One day last spring, I decided to venture out to enjoy a little time in the woods. I was limited on time, and endurance, so I set off on a favorite well-worn trail close to home. This particular trail has plenty of diversity. There are a few hills, not too challenging but challenging enough. Several light areas thick with oak, birch, and maple intertwined with rich, dark, piney spaces full of various evergreens. The trail also features several mossy, boggy, rocky sections. These provide an assortment of water crossings and plenty of opportunities to exercise creativity!
There was a pretty good rain the night before, so the streams and brooks were high, raging, and running fast. The first couple of crossings are typically not too challenging. I can usually find a couple of rocks to hop, making my way to the other side without getting wet feet. On this day, that wasn’t so.
When I came to the largest crossing, I noticed my rock bridge was completely submerged. The width of the brook here is at least three times wider than my ability to leap. I decided to just trek along the brook until I found a more suitable area to cross. After twenty minutes of walking along the brook without finding a way over, I decided to change my tactic. Now, I will just find a place where I can safely walk across, barefoot!
I thought to myself, “Why didn’t I think of this sooner? I could have just taken my shoes off twenty minutes ago and crossed where I normally cross.”
A little further and I found my spot, a nice sandy section leading over to moss covered rocks. I took off my boots and socks, rolled my pant legs up to my knees and braced myself against the frigid spring waters.
It was not as cold as I thought it would be and I made it safely to the opposite bank. That was too easy! As I gingerly set out up the hill, still barefoot so my feet could dry out a bit, I began attempting to reorient myself.
“Okay, I should be able to pick up the trail this way. It should be right around…” I looked to the right and then back over my shoulder to the left and that’s when I saw it…a bridge!! Apparently, I had followed the brook so far, I was a mere 10 or 15 feet from one of the bridges that crosses the brook via an alternate trail.
God is so kind and gracious to me. I have said it before, I am a visual learner. God is so faithful to give me object lessons through his creation, if I am willing to see them!
- Yes, I missed the bridge. I was so invested in seeking what I thought I needed, I completely missed what the Lord had provided.
- God is sovereign and I am not going to miss out on anything he has planned for me…ever. Job 42:2 “I know that you can do all things and no purpose of yours can be thwarted.”
I don’t know about you, but I sometimes struggle to “rejoice” in my sufferings. I am susceptible to becoming overly focused on the current moments, the challenge I am faced with, how I feel and how far away it might be from what I wanted or hoped it would be.
I wasn’t truly suffering while looking for a place to cross the brook, but I believe we can make a clear connection. The distractions of life, circumstances, relationships, the ups and downs we face on any given day can tempt us to take our eyes off of God and the “bridges” he has perfectly placed to help us along the way.
You will notice on the Trail Map that I use The Message version of the verses from Proverbs I mentioned above. Have a look at them here. Make a note of what grabs your attention.
“Trust God from the bottom of
your heart;
don’t try to figure out everything
on your own.
Listen for God’s voice in
everything you do, everywhere
you go;
he’s the one who will keep you on
track.
Don’t assume that you know it all.
Run to God! Run from evil!
Your body will glow with health,
your very bones will vibrate with life!”
Proverbs 3:5-8 MSG
No suffering is ill placed in our lives. No trial or affliction random or ineffective. Paul says that we can rejoice because these sufferings that we face are on purpose for the purpose of building and strengthening our faith through endurance, developing our character, and revealing our true hope in Christ.
It is our perspective, our view of what is happening that must be challenged. We must be willing to see the areas we are leaning on our own understanding and not trusting in the One whose ways and thoughts are higher (Proverbs 3:5, Isaiah 55:9)
Questions for Reflection:
- Does this plainly spoken version bring you any new or deeper insights?
- There are only two admonishments. What are we instructed NOT to do?
- In what areas of your life are you most tempted “to try to figure everything out” and/or “assume that you know it all”?
With love and prayers,
Margie
Faith Orienteering Services 