25 Keep your eyes on the path, and look straight ahead. 26 Make sure you are going the right way, and nothing will make you fall. 27 Don’t go to the right or to the left, and you will stay away from evil. (Proverbs 4:25-27 ERV)
When we are determined in our course there is a motivation that keeps us moving right along, but not every "determined course" is actually the right one to be on in life. Some of the course we tread actually bring us turmoil, troubles, and tempests we have to navigate around or through. We aren't infallible people and we make fallible decisions, don't we? It is easy for us to mistaken about where we are headed, but it is impossible for us to never see or hear any of the warnings to not put ourselves out there - at least one or two warnings will be observed, but not necessarily heeded.
I think this is best illustrated in something I discovered on a recent fishing trip. You see, I knew where the fish were hiding - I had observed them darting in and out of this area for a good deal of time. It was a remote location, requiring some pretty doggone accurate casting and navigation of my bait into just the right spot in the creek. To do so meant I need to maneuver into just the right spot and that meant going over a few rocks out into the river a little ways. Wanting to keep my feet dry, I chose the rocks that were above the surface as my "stepping stones". You know what happened, don't you? Yup - one wobbly and slippery stone later I found one foot solidly planted on a dry stone and one immersed in chilly water now up to my ankle.
At times we need to get both feet wet in order to be right where we need to be, but we want to take the path we think will cause us the least amount of pain or discomfort. The moment my foot hit that cold water, I wanted to pull back, but there was no solid ground upon which to find my footing. The solid ground I needed was IN the water - both feet needed to be there if I was to find stability and not topple into the water entirely. I nearly found myself fully falling into the waters, but as soon as I realized the cool waters could be tolerated, I shucked the socks, put my shoes back on and waded in up to my knees. Now I was in the right spot!
The moment we decide to put both feet in, we will probably get a little shock of sorts, for it requires on foot to take the lead into some places we may not have considered "favorable" or "dry ground". One foot in front of the other until the footing we so desperately need is found. Yes, there may be a little discomfort in discovering that place of solid footing, but in the discovery there promises to be moments when the pain of getting there makes it all worth the while. I found those fish and went home with my limit most days we fished that same hole. After the first day, I knew good and well what it would take to get to them - wet feet, solidly planted, moving me closer and closer to the place of reaping.
You may not realize it, but it could just be God is asking you to get both feet wet, my friend. You want the comfort of dry ground, but God may be calling you a little closer to your reward by challenging you to get both feet wet! Just sayin!
When we are determined in our course there is a motivation that keeps us moving right along, but not every "determined course" is actually the right one to be on in life. Some of the course we tread actually bring us turmoil, troubles, and tempests we have to navigate around or through. We aren't infallible people and we make fallible decisions, don't we? It is easy for us to mistaken about where we are headed, but it is impossible for us to never see or hear any of the warnings to not put ourselves out there - at least one or two warnings will be observed, but not necessarily heeded.
I think this is best illustrated in something I discovered on a recent fishing trip. You see, I knew where the fish were hiding - I had observed them darting in and out of this area for a good deal of time. It was a remote location, requiring some pretty doggone accurate casting and navigation of my bait into just the right spot in the creek. To do so meant I need to maneuver into just the right spot and that meant going over a few rocks out into the river a little ways. Wanting to keep my feet dry, I chose the rocks that were above the surface as my "stepping stones". You know what happened, don't you? Yup - one wobbly and slippery stone later I found one foot solidly planted on a dry stone and one immersed in chilly water now up to my ankle.
At times we need to get both feet wet in order to be right where we need to be, but we want to take the path we think will cause us the least amount of pain or discomfort. The moment my foot hit that cold water, I wanted to pull back, but there was no solid ground upon which to find my footing. The solid ground I needed was IN the water - both feet needed to be there if I was to find stability and not topple into the water entirely. I nearly found myself fully falling into the waters, but as soon as I realized the cool waters could be tolerated, I shucked the socks, put my shoes back on and waded in up to my knees. Now I was in the right spot!
The moment we decide to put both feet in, we will probably get a little shock of sorts, for it requires on foot to take the lead into some places we may not have considered "favorable" or "dry ground". One foot in front of the other until the footing we so desperately need is found. Yes, there may be a little discomfort in discovering that place of solid footing, but in the discovery there promises to be moments when the pain of getting there makes it all worth the while. I found those fish and went home with my limit most days we fished that same hole. After the first day, I knew good and well what it would take to get to them - wet feet, solidly planted, moving me closer and closer to the place of reaping.
You may not realize it, but it could just be God is asking you to get both feet wet, my friend. You want the comfort of dry ground, but God may be calling you a little closer to your reward by challenging you to get both feet wet! Just sayin!
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