Forest For The Trees

For the past few days I've been meandering my way through life. Up this hill, down that one. Turning this corner and then rounding that one. No different than anyone else's life just in one of those places where I'm only taking one step at the time because I'm not real sure where it will land. I jokingly told a friend yesterday that I feel as though I'm walking on quick sand not sure if the branch I'm holding onto will hold me or not.

On my ride in this morning I was listening to the radio and looking at the cars. I wasn't really looking for anything in particular but just scanning my surroundings. As I started coming up the on-ramp for the Red Mountain Expressway from Carraway Boulevard I slowly started noticing the tall buildings that were downtown. The farther I got up the ramp the more and more I could see these buildings. All of a sudden the cars disappeared from my vision and all I could see was buildings. I scanned to my left and to my right and began to see, actually see, downtown.

As I continued on my journey slowly but surely the buildings began to fade and all I saw was cars. The beautiful city landscape that once captured my attention had faded into a blur and once again I could only see what was directly in front of me.

So many times in my spiritual life I go through periods where I can't see the glory for all the stumbling blocks that are around me. I know it's there. I know that I am free. I know that I am forgiven. I know that in the end everything is going to be okay. I know that this too shall pass, but for that day, at that moment all I can see is what is around me. I wish I had the right words of encouragement to say right here that would make you take your hand and smack yourself on your forehead and have one of those Ah-Hah moments but I don't. I'm still trying to figure it out for myself. But I stand firm on Jeremiah 29:11 "'For I know the plans I have for you,' says the Lord. 'They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.'" (NLT). Want to know what I like best about this verse? The "says the Lord" part. The Lord, my Father, my Savior, my friend, my everything...He said that! He says that He has plans for me. He says that the plans He has for me are for good and NOT for disaster. He says these plans will give me a future and a hope! That's what HE says, not what they say but what He says!!

So, I challenge you today, if you catch yourself only seeing the cars in front of you...stop and blink a few times. Shake your head if you have to and start looking farther...deeper...harder because I promise you there is something more out there!