The Difficult Road

“The person who expects nothing will never be disappointed.” (Alexander Pope)

This new journey of faith walking feels more like a narrow winding up and down, black diamond hike than a meandering smooth easy path.  One day I’m ecstatic over the answers to prayer I’m witnessing and the next I’m in the depths of despair, disappointed and discouraged.  It’s why I resonated so deeply with this quote when I saw it.  I’m expecting God to move in big and small ways to make this ministry happen.  But “His ways are not my ways and His thoughts are not my thoughts,” (Isaiah 55.8) and I might add, His timing is not my timing.  I expect great things from God and He doesn’t let me down, He just doesn’t do things in the way I think He should or in the time I think they should be done!

The other day I wrote in my journal, “I feel discouragement knocking at my door.  BUT I refuse to open it!  I REFUSE TO BE DISCOURAGED.  I REFUSE TO BACK DOWN.  I REFUSE TO QUIT.”

Jesus said in Matthew 7:13, “You can enter God’s Kingdom only through the narrow gate.  The highway to hell is broad, and its gate is wide for the many who choose that way.  But the gateway to life is very narrow and the road is difficult and only a few ever find it.”

As I tread this difficult road I feel it making me stronger.  Deepening my faith.  Teaching me dependence.  Stripping away the peripheral.  Narrowing my focus.  Grounding me in truth. Forging a stalwart heart.

So today, once again, I choose the difficult road.  I choose to follow His way.  I choose to put my hand in the Hand of the one who laid down His life for me.  I choose to follow wherever this difficult road takes me.

I know I’m not the only one choosing the difficult road.  My road may look different from yours but our roads are difficult just the same.  Hang in there.  Never give up and don’t back down.  Refuse to open the door to discouragement.  Turn to your Savior, He gave His life so you might have LIFE, true and abundant life!

Remember, if you aim at nothing, you will hit it every time.  You won’t struggle with disappointment but you won’t accomplish anything of value either.

Spilling His Grace,

Kristi