Smooth Paths and Rocky Places
I don’t know about you dear Reader, but I sometimes struggle in my walk with the Lord. Do you? Do you like things to run smoothly, and have neat, tidy ways to tie things together? I do. I thought it about this as I took my early morning walk. I walk on the roadway, because of its smoothness. When a car comes along, I have to walk on the side of road where there are rocks, gravel, and sand. My legs find walking there labored and difficult. While I trudged along , I thought about the trial I am going through, I felt that my life right now was much like walking on the side of the road where walking is difficult. I wanted God to give me quick answers to my trouble, and I wondered why this happened to me. I know I don’t deserve an easy, paved path, this I know, for I am a sinner, and God always gives me better than I deserve. I know this in my head, but this doesn’t always translate to the heart.
Why don’t I trust the Lord more? Perhaps I don’t know Him as I should. How do you get to know someone? How do we establish a lasting relationship? In today’s fast-paced society, we don’t always spend time with people. How many friends do we have on facebook? How well do we know each of these friends? I guess we don’t know all of them that well. There may be a handful that we consider close enough that we know each other’s children. Of this handful, I would say we have perhaps one or two that are so close that we could spill our guts to them without fear. We could say to these one or two, “What do you think I should do? What do you suggest?” We trust that they would give us honest answers to our questions, even when it hurts to hear the answer. Do we know the Lord this well?
I asked myself this question this week, and I discovered that I have been so busy that I haven’t spent time the One who knows me better than I know myself. Don’t get me wrong, I read my Bible and pray every day, but my Bible reading is hurried. I read the Psalm of the day and then I read my chapter for the day, quickly pray, and go about my business. Shameful, isn’t it?
So, Wednesday, I decided I was going to get know my Lord Jesus Christ better. In my daily Psalm reading, I was on Psalm 139. I read it, and then I pondered it. I decided to memorize it, so I worked on the first four verses. Wow. It has blessed me beyond measure, and studying it has drawn me so much closer to the Lord, and to top that off, it has brought me comfort in the midst of my trial. Verse 1 says, “O LORD, thou hast searched me and known me.” Jesus really knows me. He searched me and He knows me. I had to let that settle in my brain. Verse 2: “Thou knowest my downsitting and mine uprising, thou understandest my thought afar off.” Jesus knows when I sit down and when I get up, and He knows all my thoughts. Nothing is hidden from Him. He knows the battle I have within myself. He knows, and because God sent Jesus to come in the flesh, he understands what I am going through. He was in all points tempted like we are. Comforting. Verse 3: “Thou compassest my path and my lying down, and art acquainted with all my ways.” He hems me in. I thought of Psalm 91. 4, He shelters me under his wings. He truly knows my ways, He’s acquainted with my ways. He knows I battle anxiety. This gave me comfort. I am not in this thing alone. God, the creator of the universe knows my ways, and understands them, even when I don’t understand them, He does. I am getting peace.
Do have complete peace yet? Honestly? No, but I am moving in that direction. It comes, and I know that as I spend more time with my loving Savior, it will come completely. I also have family and friends who pray for me, and this comforts too.
Reader, if you face some difficulty in your life. I encourage you to spend time with One who created you. Spend time with the Lord. I pray that you are encouraged and will draw comfort from the God of all Comfort. (2 Corinthians 1.3)
Why don’t I trust the Lord more? Perhaps I don’t know Him as I should. How do you get to know someone? How do we establish a lasting relationship? In today’s fast-paced society, we don’t always spend time with people. How many friends do we have on facebook? How well do we know each of these friends? I guess we don’t know all of them that well. There may be a handful that we consider close enough that we know each other’s children. Of this handful, I would say we have perhaps one or two that are so close that we could spill our guts to them without fear. We could say to these one or two, “What do you think I should do? What do you suggest?” We trust that they would give us honest answers to our questions, even when it hurts to hear the answer. Do we know the Lord this well?
I asked myself this question this week, and I discovered that I have been so busy that I haven’t spent time the One who knows me better than I know myself. Don’t get me wrong, I read my Bible and pray every day, but my Bible reading is hurried. I read the Psalm of the day and then I read my chapter for the day, quickly pray, and go about my business. Shameful, isn’t it?
So, Wednesday, I decided I was going to get know my Lord Jesus Christ better. In my daily Psalm reading, I was on Psalm 139. I read it, and then I pondered it. I decided to memorize it, so I worked on the first four verses. Wow. It has blessed me beyond measure, and studying it has drawn me so much closer to the Lord, and to top that off, it has brought me comfort in the midst of my trial. Verse 1 says, “O LORD, thou hast searched me and known me.” Jesus really knows me. He searched me and He knows me. I had to let that settle in my brain. Verse 2: “Thou knowest my downsitting and mine uprising, thou understandest my thought afar off.” Jesus knows when I sit down and when I get up, and He knows all my thoughts. Nothing is hidden from Him. He knows the battle I have within myself. He knows, and because God sent Jesus to come in the flesh, he understands what I am going through. He was in all points tempted like we are. Comforting. Verse 3: “Thou compassest my path and my lying down, and art acquainted with all my ways.” He hems me in. I thought of Psalm 91. 4, He shelters me under his wings. He truly knows my ways, He’s acquainted with my ways. He knows I battle anxiety. This gave me comfort. I am not in this thing alone. God, the creator of the universe knows my ways, and understands them, even when I don’t understand them, He does. I am getting peace.
Do have complete peace yet? Honestly? No, but I am moving in that direction. It comes, and I know that as I spend more time with my loving Savior, it will come completely. I also have family and friends who pray for me, and this comforts too.
Reader, if you face some difficulty in your life. I encourage you to spend time with One who created you. Spend time with the Lord. I pray that you are encouraged and will draw comfort from the God of all Comfort. (2 Corinthians 1.3)
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