...though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, ...You are with me...
~ Psalm 23:4
Sometimes I feel alone and discouraged. Life has...well, not taken the course I thought it would when I made my plans years ago. Truth is... I can’t get the plans I made this morning to “work out”! Yikes!
I didn’t expect so much difficulty and heartache to continue in my life once I made the decision to surrender my will and trust God’s. I somehow imagined my obedience to follow God’s plans for my life, would bring me a lot of “through the meadows” kind of walks in my remaining years...you know... “heaven” here on earth.
Instead...I still have too many days of “uphill climbing”. I’m cut by the hard jagged edge of unkind words and stumble over the rocks of difficult circumstances that bruise my tired soul. I look up... but I can’t see “the top”! Yet, I know my Guide is just ahead of me because I can feel the tug on the rope of faith that is firmly tied from His Spirit to my own.
The voice of my Guide can be heard over my loud gasping and crying out for “a moment please, just a moment” (or two), of rest. I hear Him encouraging me to take my next step when I suddenly feel a lifting of my feet off the ground. Ahhh...thankful, I decide that tough "spot" was easier than I thought it would be. This brief reprieve is just long enough for me to regain some needed rest and strength before once again returning to the surface of that mountain of life I’m climbing.
Along this tough journey my Guide lets me catch up with Him and His presence fills me with joy. We sit together along side a hidden stream nestled inside a remote part of the mountain. I see my Guide bend down by the water's edge and place something into it. He once again sits down beside me and as we look out over the clear water before us, I see many beautiful stones along it’s edge, some look like gold and others appear to be precious jewels.
I ask my Guide if I may take a few with us... He laughs and tells me that each of these pretty stones were once the hard jagged edges and big stumbling rocks I encountered on our climb here. He tells me that He carried each one of them to this place and it is in this stream they became transformed into such beauty and were given their great worth. He tells me that even though I may not have noticed, each time I experience the cut or pain these stones caused me, He saw it all and poured over me His healing balm. He said He sees my every struggle and hurt along the way. I’m told it’s best to leave these pretty stones here and recall their beauty instead of being weighed down by them as I continue on our journey together. I decided to name this lake; Beerlahairoi, "You-Are-the-God-Who-Sees".
As we got up from this pleasant resting spot, I asked my Guide if we could just remain here and not travel any further.” I told Him, “I like it here with you and this place is so beautiful!” I never imagined a place more wonderful than this. Please...I begin to plea... “I’m tired of climbing and I don’t like it when I can’t see you. I’m weary of having to do this alone. Why do I have to go on?”
My Guide smiled as he took me by the hand and helped me up from where I sat. As He tighten the cord that bind us together He spoke these words; “This place is not the place I have promised you. I have something better in store for you...a perfect place. Come...just a bit further. I am always with you...you are never alone. Keep looking up and listen for my voice and I will make my presence known ever step of the way. In the moments of your deepest need I promise to always provide. You see, you call me your Guide, but I am also know as Jehovah-Jireh, "The-Lord-Will-Provide".
You know..loneliness comes to all of us. Remember that God sees you, and He will provide.
When God seems absent from us, He is often doing His most important work in us.
~ Author Unknown
Kathy
