The path of God's will for our life will take us across many different spiritual terrains.
There is the garden path, along which the stream flows, the trees grow, and the fruit is abundant. We can sit, rest, and enjoy life without any anxiety or fear.
There is the mountain path that leads us up to the heights of God's glory, inexpressible and full of joy. We look out, we breathe in. We want to live here, away from it all!
On these paths we find our way easily and enjoyably. But there are other paths, paths we might not choose for ourselves.
The other mountain path leads us up and around to the place of testing, trial, death to self. We still trust, but we can barely breathe; we want never to return here, but we know there's just one way out.
There is the path that takes us through the valley, where the clinging darkness of fear and uncertainty surround. We don't know where our next step will take us – towards a clearing or further in. We struggle to keep calm, our emotions and thoughts confusing us, controlling us.
There is the desert path that takes us through doubt, anger, grumbling, discouragement, and despair. Here "in the middle of nowhere", with no end in sight, no water on the horizon, no sign of life anywhere around us, we begin to give up hope.
Down every difficult path we walk in obedience to God, we come face to face with an unassuming, yet dangerous temptation: to choose our own path.
"And the people became impatient on the way." (Number 21:4) And so we have, and so we will. But we must remember that "it is easier going out of the way when we are in (on the right path) than going in when we are out (on the wrong path)." (John Bunyan, The Pilgrim's Progress)
God has not promised to go with us down the path of our own choosing. But He has promised that He will lead us down His path, and if we follow, be with us every step of the way.
"The steps of a man are established by the Lord, when he delights in his way" (Psalm 27:23).
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