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| The view on the way up the mountain |
My journey with the Lord is one filled with what educators call "teachable moments". These are moments when the environment is just right for a truth to be imparted to a student so that it makes complete sense for the student. These are different than any other times of teaching because they have the uniqueness of being absolutely relevant in the moment that they are taught. For example, I can teach the truth that when you mix red and blue they will make purple and that is truth. But, it happens as a "teachable moment" when a student is using paint and happens to mix red and blue and it turns into purple, then I can come alongside and say something like, "Wow, did you see what just happened? You mixed red and blue and they made purple!". This will stick with that person because of the self discovery of that truth.
So, this is how I learn best and Jesus knows that about me so He often teaches me this way, by letting me experience things for myself as He comes alongside to make sure I am getting the truth.
This past May I had the opportunity to hike up a mountain for the first time ever (maybe the last time!).
Before we began hiking we were instructed to pick up a rock to carry with us to the top. The rock was to represent something that we wanted to let go of in our lives. My rock, which happened to fit perfectly into the palm of my hand as if it had always belonged there, symbolized fear. As we began hiking I thought it meant fear of saying things that God was telling me to say....as we hiked I quickly realized that, although that was a fear of mine, it was not what God had intended for this journey.
The higher we climbed, the more narrow the path, the more shifty the ground became....the more aware I became that God was asking me to surrender fear about my own physical safety. Would I trust Him with the life He'd given me? Would I trust that He was going to get me safely to the top of that mountain?For those who have done lots of hiking this may seem like no big deal.
For me however....
It was the first time I'd ever hiked up a mountain....
I was with a group of people that I was just getting to know....
I had to constantly be holding onto someone because of my visual impairment....
I had to trust that the person guiding me was going to be able to help me anticipate what was coming next....
I had only met the person guiding me 3 days earlier!!....
I could not see the top and had no concept of how much farther we had to go before we got to our destination....
For over 2 hours I was in a situation where I felt physically unsafe and had a very limited sense of control (on occasion I'd yell, "STOP!! I can't do it!" then I'd look behind me and realize how far we'd come and after some convincing keep going. That was all I could control, the pace we went at.). And all I could do was go one step at a time and trust my guide.
I made it to the top of the mountain, safely, without falling even once. And, I even made it back down (a whole other adventure!!).
God took care of me.
He knew the plan He had for me for that day. He provided the people He knew would be right for the job (because, well, if I had MY way I would've chosen different people...and really would've missed out on what HE had for me...), He came alongside me and pointed out the truth of how He protects, how He guides, how He can see the top and knows exactly how He's going to get me there.
Three months later, here I am....staring at a trail that He has chosen for me. I can't see ten feet in front of me, let alone where it ends up. And, I trust Him. I trust His means of guiding me. I will choose to wait for Him to move and will only go where He goes. Not because I'm afraid of falling plummeting to destruction....because I know that He can see where He's taking me and where He wants to go is truly where I want to be.
