The Long Road Ahead

Tonight I had another experience which relates to yesterday's post. I figured it would make a nice follow-up.

When things are wrong, one of my favorite ways to cope is to go walking. Lately it's been snowing, so it's really cold outside, but today was particularly stressful, so I needed a break. After a church function tonight, I immediately left to go walking for a bit.

There is a biking/walking path in my neighborhood that runs along a former canal. It was somewhat late, so it was cold and dark. Nonetheless, I went on for 40 minutes before turning around, due to some sort of animal up ahead (I don't like things running around in the dark!). In that time, I found peace in venting to God.

I imagine, in cases like tonight, that God is like the parent that, no matter how angry, upset, or nasty you are to Him, ends up holding you the entire time. I feel sheepish, because who am I to get angry at Him? He has done nothing wrong. There isn't even anything I can blame on Him; the stress was my problem, and not His fault in the slightest. In spite of that, my Father listened. He listened to what His frustrated son had to say. He did not judge; He did not reprimand; He just listened, arms around His child's shoulders.

I don't know how far I walked. Probably not too far, considering the length of time I spent. But as I looked ahead, I didn't know where it would take me, but I felt that was where God wanted me to be. I kept walking, not sure how far I was going nor how much was left. Even though progress was difficult to measure, it was there nonetheless. There came a point where, looking back, I could not see how far I had went.

As we learn, grow, and become the sons and daughters of God, we may lose confidence and forget where we are. We aren't sure how far it is to our destination; we might not even be sure where our destination is. But God laid a path before us, and the path will take us where we need to go. While the end is out of sight, and we might not be sure what God's intentions are, we can rest assured that, as we stay on the path, we will get to where we need eventually.

Lead, Kindly Light, amidst th'encircling gloom,
Lead Thou me on!
The night is dark, and I am far from home,
Lead Thou me on!
Keep Thou my feet; I do not ask to see
The distant scene; one step enough for me.

When it was time to go home, my stress was manageable. It was so cold, but at a time that I felt nothing, His love warmed my heart. Maybe one of these days I will walk all the way to the end of that mysterious path.

Patrick