On my
recent vacation I found myself on a mini silent retreat on a rocky beach
line. When on silent retreats I usually
go off on adventures with God and explore as much as I can of His beauty in
creation. I had a destination in
mind. I wanted to walk as far along the
coast.
The day
they left I set out on my own journey.
It was treacherous at spots and I was the only one venturing on such a
quest. Half way through the journey my
shoe tore so I was determined to accomplish the goal that day while I was still
able to wear it. I had to be so careful
that I kept my eyes on the ground almost the whole time. I was doing a lot of praying, but my prayers
were for safety and prevention from a broken leg or twisted ankle. I felt the angels all around as I prayed
Psalm 121 the whole way there. Mission
accomplished, I felt proud of myself and felt I was getting some good exercise
as well.
On the way
back, which always feels longer, I looked up more often to take in the beauty
of my new surroundings. I thought about
how hard it is to walk with God, as exemplified by the journey through the
boulders but that God keeps inviting me to walk with Him even when it is
hard. I realized that I was only
focusing on how hard it was and not taking the time to look up and see what was
all around me. I wasn’t looking at the
rich colors of the rocks contrasted by the turquoise sea that blended
beautifully into the baby blue skyline. God
invited me not only to focus on the hardness of my adventure but also to
delight in the joy and the treasures all around me.
Knowing God
is hard. Don’t let anyone tell you
otherwise. It takes strict discipline to
let go of our own ways, our selfish desires, everything that pulls us away from
God. It’s hard, but it’s more beautiful
than anything we can imagine.
The next
day, I went on an adventure and asked God to lead the way. I didn’t have a destination in mind, thinking
that I had accomplished what I had set out to do. On this day, I was led to amazing surprises. He first showed me the ruins of a Monastery
that I could visit. Then He showed me a
path down to the beach only closer to the boarder for which I was looking. I couldn’t believe how easy it was to reach
the same destination.
The path to
God is hard, but it’s a lot easier when we listen to God. Jesus said it so clearly in Matthew 11:28-30,
Come to me, all you who
are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my
yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you
will find rest for your souls. For my
yoke is easy and my burden is light.
What
path are you taking to your destination of oneness with God? Take it from me, God’s path is best, and you
don’t ruin your shoes along the way.
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