Bend in the Road

Enjoying the peace and quiet time all alone on the mountainous path last fall, I was just reflecting about how my life had changed over the last year and how the path was such a great parallel.

In some places it was wide open and you could see far into the distance exactly where you were headed, but at other times there were tree lined curves only allowing you to view the next few steps before facing the unknown. For a long time my life followed the same path year after year, but now I'm not exactly sure what will be just around the bend.

At one spot along the narrow road there was a shortcut where it appeared that many had taken. I was tempted to do the same, just to shave off a few minutes of the winding hike down the mountain, but I reconsidered and was pleasantly surprised at what I found.

If I had taken the shortcut, I would have missed one of the most beautiful views of the day.
 
The loop that would have been cut out had spectacular views of the western sloping mountains, the trees, the colors and the sky. It was refreshing to me to be facing the beauty that God had made especially for me at that particular moment. I felt sorry for the others who were in a rush to get to the bottom of the trail, but had instead missed one of the best parts.

Don't we do the same thing every day? We are in such a hurry that we often fail to enjoy the special gifts and treats along the way. It may be a simple as the giggle of a baby, the wagging of a dog’s tail, the beauty of a sunset, the sweet smell of a flower in bloom.

And then at the end of the day, we realize that we missed out on God's special blessings just to take a shortcut.

Psalm 46:10 He says, “Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.”

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