“Umm. Guess what? We’ve been following a goat path.”
We peered over the edge of a small precipice. Three of us gals were hiking down from the serene alpine lake that had provided a magnificent setting for enjoying our sandwiches. Somewhere, though, on the way back, we had missed our turn, and now faced the prospect of backtracking up the mountain.
While we considered what to do, a sudden storm caught us. Happily we all had rain gear, but the downpour rendered the rocky terrain very slippery. We decided to backtrack slightly to see whether there was more grass another way. There was.
Mary Baker Eddy writes in her book, Science and Health, “Step by step will those who trust Him find that "God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble." This was exactly how we came down the mountain. One footstep at a time. We could see where to take a few steps forward. Stop. A few steps down. Stop. A few steps to the right. Stop. Slide a few feet down this rock.
And so it went. Ruth voiced gratitude for each tuft of grass that gave firmer footing. We proceeded on the basis of that gratitude as we found our steps, literally, one-by-one.
A waterfall-fed lake below became the focus of our descent. As long as that lake stayed in front of us, we knew we were headed in the right direction.
Eventually the rain stopped, and the rocks dried almost instantly, providing firm footing again. We discovered our path – the one used by human hikers – and descended into the cool of the forest below tree line. We reached the trailhead and our vehicle, and were warmly hugged and welcomed by friends who had been waiting and supporting us with their own prayers.
A man, not of our group, who had been watching our descent marveled that we had gotten down so quickly. What to us seemed to take forever, seemed quick to him.
Looking back on our hike that day, we were not perfect, we made mistakes, we corrected mistakes. But we were an excellent group. Our collective trust in a loving God guiding us resulted in the mutual cheer, caring and good-will that lightened the struggle of finding our way.
While we considered what to do, a sudden storm caught us. Happily we all had rain gear, but the downpour rendered the rocky terrain very slippery. We decided to backtrack slightly to see whether there was more grass another way. There was.
Mary Baker Eddy writes in her book, Science and Health, “Step by step will those who trust Him find that "God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble." This was exactly how we came down the mountain. One footstep at a time. We could see where to take a few steps forward. Stop. A few steps down. Stop. A few steps to the right. Stop. Slide a few feet down this rock.
And so it went. Ruth voiced gratitude for each tuft of grass that gave firmer footing. We proceeded on the basis of that gratitude as we found our steps, literally, one-by-one.
A waterfall-fed lake below became the focus of our descent. As long as that lake stayed in front of us, we knew we were headed in the right direction.
Eventually the rain stopped, and the rocks dried almost instantly, providing firm footing again. We discovered our path – the one used by human hikers – and descended into the cool of the forest below tree line. We reached the trailhead and our vehicle, and were warmly hugged and welcomed by friends who had been waiting and supporting us with their own prayers.
A man, not of our group, who had been watching our descent marveled that we had gotten down so quickly. What to us seemed to take forever, seemed quick to him.
Looking back on our hike that day, we were not perfect, we made mistakes, we corrected mistakes. But we were an excellent group. Our collective trust in a loving God guiding us resulted in the mutual cheer, caring and good-will that lightened the struggle of finding our way.
Sometimes life is like that – step-by-step. The struggle becomes our opportunity to trust the gentle and gradual unfoldment of how it is that God would have us glorify Him/Her next.
Even if it rains on our carefully made plans; even when there is no clear path; even when the way seems slippery and treacherous, even when we have to keep figuring out what to do next, God is there for us. And we hear Him/Her best when calm trust uproots fear and discouragement.
King David, one-time outlaw, understood well perilous mountain paths, as well as the need for staying close to the safety and comfort of his God. He wrote, "Hold up my goings in your paths, that my footsteps slip not."
1 comment:
Sandi -thanks for your reminders to always listen for God's word of guidance, comfort, joy, direction, inspiration-helping to see the spiritual fact and deny the material (making it powerless...
love your blogs...Ellie
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