Obstacles Provide Perspective

So, tell me something. What do you do when something is in your way? Are you the type of person who moves around it, jumps over it, or waits for it to move before you do?

Recently, while driving one day there was an obstacle in my path on the road. It was a very large plastic bag. It appeared to be something in size of a covering from a piece of furniture or large item.  The empty parcel was blowing around in the middle of my lane and I was caught between a rock and a hard place.  I looked to the right and left quickly in hopes to change lanes and avoid any potential mishap. However, there was no chance of escape. I was concerned about this bag getting caught up underneath my car. But there was no way around it!  So, I drove on with quick caution. As I passed over that obstacle, I looked in my rearview mirror to make sure that bag didn’t decide to hang out below deck. It was then I noticed something interesting in my mirrors. The once oversized bag was now nothing more than a small sandwich baggie in the road. It paralleled a spiritual value for me:

Isn’t it just the same when going through circumstances in life? We look ahead and everything seems so large in front of us. As we approach the issue or the problem, it seems almost insurmountable. But every storm in life does pass, and once it does, you can look back even (if it was a terrible time) and know you made it through.

Trust the plan

Looking to God’s Word, I am reminded of when the Israelites were staring down the walls of Jericho (Josh 6:1-20). I don’t know how about you, but if I was a part of the army, I would have been at the Compliant Department flapping my jaws after Joshua announced that we would be walking around the city walls seven times.  I don’t even know if I would’ve made it to the second lap! I have enough in me that I would’ve tried to come up with a different plan than just walking around in a circle! But what about the next command? Screaming at the top of our lungs to boot? Wouldn’t it just make more sense to go knock on the door? In our mortal minds, things on this side of eternity may not make any sense.  When there’s a big task at hand, relying on the Lord strength and not our own can be easier said than done. But it can be done. 

Trust His wisdom

Can you imagine how the disciples felt after spending hours of fishing and not catching anything? And then Jesus comes along and tells them to throw their nets on the other side of the boat? (Luke 5/John 21). Learning to rely on His wisdom and strength at that moment yielded a boatload of fish and income for those young fishermen. The same applies to us, ladies. Relying on his wisdom and strength to help us navigate past the obstacles that are in front of us will not only get us to the other side but perhaps allow us to dance through what’s ahead of us rather than fearing what we see.

Trust His strength

And what about the Shepherd boy David? A prepubescent lad at best standing before a mocking giant. His knees weren’t knocking, but he took from his rock collection and found the perfect smooth stone to not only slay that giant but cut off its head too. David didn’t allow the obstacle to send him running scared.  He literally took the bull by the horns and dominated the situation by coming “in the name of the Lord!” (I Sam 17).

So next time you face an obstacle: a wall, a storm, a giant, a financial or physical need; TRUST the Lord to give you perspective in the situation with understanding.

And that bag that was once in my way? I think I will use it to pack a sandwich for my lunch today. 

Obstacles provide perspective.