I remember a vacation my family took when I was just a little girl of about 11 years old. We were living in North Dakota at the time and my mom and dad always planned fun vacations. This year we were going to Yellowstone National Park and beyond!
The trip to YS from where we lived required a trek through Beartooth Mountain Pass which I think was on the border of Montana and Wyoming. It was huge and high and we had to pass through to get to our destination. We were a pretty good way up the mountain and I began to get scared. I have always been afraid of heights and this was definitely high.
As I looked ahead, I could see just how far we still had to go. I could also see just how high up we had to go.
If I looked out the side window I could see the very edge of the road and then the drop off right next to it. I could see where we plummet into nothing if we got too far over on the road!
I began to cry and panic and my parents were trying to keep me calm and they told me to look out the back window and that would make me feel better. ( I guess my sister and brother were stunned into silence by their crazy sister!)
Well, I looked out the back window and that did NOT help at all. When I did that, all I could see was how far we had come and how high up we really were. I just finally closed my eyes and put my head down until we were safely off that mountain.
As Christians, we have many mountains to climb in our journey. If we focus too far ahead we may get weary and discouraged. We can concentrate too much on just how far we still have to climb and be tempted to give up.
But if we spend too much time looking back at where we have been, we may focus too much on past experiences that didn’t go well, or even old hurts or strongholds that we have since conquered but somehow “hold on to”. Even though it is good to remember where we came from – our old life of sin – we have to be careful not dwell there and get distracted.
Our eyes have to be focused on our “NOW” work. We have to remain diligent in what the Lord is accomplishing through us at this moment. Keep our eyes on the path that He has chosen for us to walk along at this particular season of our life.
If we look too far ahead then we lose our vision for the present.
If we look too far behind then we lose our perspective for the present.
We need to look up. Our direction comes from Christ. If we keep our focus on Him we can take it step-by-step, day-by-day, mountain-by-mountain.
“Show me your ways, O LORD; teach me Your paths.” (Psalm 25:4)
Climbing Joyfully for Him,
Beth
Why give Jesus a Birthday Gift?
5 days ago
14 comments:
Beth,
Dick and I were talking about this very thing last night, about being where God has placed us right now and just keep on keeping on. Ya know? I used to look so far ahead and think about how He might use us that I was really ineffective in the moment He'd placed me in. Thins was such a great post friend.
Have a Blessed day,
Dawn
Awesome perspective! So true. I missed out on so much from wishing and whining toward the past. Just living in the present with our God is the best way to live this life. Have a great weekend!!!
To think that it took 9 WHOLE years to get to where I am today with Christ....hmmmm....but then to think where I am and it ONLY took 9 years....both sides of the spectrum...keeping it real with Him, in the NOW.
Now is the best place because we then don't get burdened with the lenght, simply now.
Love to you,
Yolanda
PS: How is Esther?
This is soooo confirmation, I have heard this 4 times today, look up!!
I have asked for things in advance, thinking I could get a jump on things, and that doesn't always work out. This is a post that I will ponder for the day.
Have a blessed weekend
Hugggsss
Sharon
I will be staying home and having a relaxed weekend, the traffic from the superbowl is horrible here!
Beth you are so right! I can't think of anything worse than to dwell on my life of sin. It makes me sick and there is no point.
The only thing I need to do is glorify GOD with a testimony of how HE pulled me from the deepest pit of sin - so that others who may be there or have left there and still can't seem to get over what they did - they can see that GOD delivers and that part of our GOD given purpose and destiny will include our past.
That's something the other Beth (Beth Moore) has taught me through Bible studies over and over!
Blessings and love,
Teri
p.s. Are you an insurance agent too?
I love the analogy! It is so true. If we take our eyes off of Jesus and look at our surrounds (whether ahead or behind) it can seem so overwhelming.
On a different note, I just had my blog made over and I'm giving away a free blog makeover. Please come join my contest. I want to bless one of my friends with a makeover.
Bless you!
Beth
Thanks Beth for this post, this is so true sometimes we loose sight of what God is doing in the moment because we are to busy looking ahead.
Hi Beth,
Your writing is such a blessing to me. I'd love to share this post with a friend who needs it. May I print, it and give you credit of course!
This is so true! Thank you for sharing your wisdom about an aspect of faith that everyone struggles with.
Great post Beth. I am so glad you got the print. The post office was fast! How cool that you went on the Walk to Emmaus and it was life changing. Now I know why I was prompted to give it to you. The Lord wanted to deliver it in your hands. How awesome is that! He is so good. Keep climbing girl, The Way is ahead of you. Watch His feet and follow! Many Blessings Sister! b
I recently came across your blog, from blog surfing. I must say I am enjoying your blog, comments and how you write and also relate everyday life always back to HIM. What a blessing! I am also a preachers wife of more than 20 plus years. God has been so good to us, and blessed me in so many ways.
Its All About HIM
Joan Carr
I hear you here and have done both. You are so correct about how the past will hinder our ability to have the right perspective, thought it is important to deal with the past sometimes in order to move on and I have found thinking too far ahead gives us a place to take control and do things our own way.
I love your analogy. We are moving forward and keeping our eyes on Jesus in order to be victorious!
Sonya
I can so relate to this in both the word picture and reality! I myself chose the floor to reside on when we went up mountains. My dad loved to look over the edge even while driving! YIKES!!!! thanks for the wonderful picture of our walk with Christ!
Post a Comment