"Hard Things"

(I usually leave the writing about our hikes to Frances.  However, I thought I'd share a few considerations this week of recent journey in Grayson Highlands National Park, Virginia.  

"Hard Things"

   

    We didn't expect our hike last week to be as difficult as it turned out to be.  Frances does a lot of elevation and terrain research before we venture into mountains.  However, it is not easy to anticipate what will be found until we actually strap on our backpacks and begin the ascents, descents, and even a few level paths that comprise backcountry camping.  This was surely the case in Grayson Highlands as we found our way to be frequently steep, twisting, and rocky.  Unusually warm temperatures (after a long and cold winter in Grayson) also accompanied our journey, a condition made more noticeable by the absence of leaves on most of the trees.  They are just beginning to bud in Grayson, but those buds did little to provide shade.  Thus, we encountered a hike that seemed to promise a moderate challenge, but which actually presented one of our more difficult mountain experiences.

    "Thou hast showed Thy people hard things" (Psalm 60:3).

   Our Heavenly Father frequently leads His trusting children in Christ along challenging paths.  "We must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God" (Acts 14:22).   Some difficulties we anticipate, but others surprise and perhaps even bewilder us.  The latter may catch us off guard, necessitating adjustments in our hearts and minds as we navigate paths for which we seem unprepared.  "Hard things" tempt us to forget God's promise of His presence, guidance, and enabling despite His assurance of being "a very present help in trouble" (Psalm 46:1).  Thus, we must learn to expect the unexpected, realizing that when challenges come our way unannounced, our Lord is never caught off guard.  "His understanding is infinite" (Psalm 147:5).

   By definition, born again believers have committed our care to the One who sees the past, present, and future as if it were one moment.  Whether He leads us along difficult or easy pathways, we must therefore remember and affirm His promise to usher us through whatever awaits our steps.  As the saying goes, we don't know what tomorrow holds, but we know Who holds tomorrow.  I look back on our recent hike and remember both the beauty of glorious scenes and the difficulty of ascents and descents that made the views possible.  Most of all, however, I realize how present our Lord was in goodness, faithfulness, and enabling.  We had to make some adjustments in the mountains of Grayson as the experience surprised us.  However, no adjustments were required in our Lord's heart and mind.  He knew what lay before us, and He safely guided us through the challenge.  Just like He always does along the pathways of life, be they anticipated or surprising…

"Commit thy way unto the Lord, trust also in Him, and He shall bring it to pass."

(Psalm 37:5)

"When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee."

 (Isaiah 43:2).

Weekly Memory Verse

   "Commit thy way unto the Lord, trust also in Him, and He shall bring it to pass."

(Psalm 37:5)