Knowing How to Walk Through...

Yesterday, I was in a lot of pain. After a hike and much cooking and cleaning the day before, I could barely walk or even get up from a seated position. My back was twitching, my muscles contracting, and my knees ached and burned. I knew from experience that I was okay, but I could be heard moaning and groaning in pain throughout the day and throughout the house.

My son's finacé sweetly asked me if I needed to go to the hospital. I understood her concern, because to anyone else, this might seem like a dire situation. But to me, this was something I knew how to walk through. I knew that the pain would only last a little while, and though there was not much I could do to subdue it save taking a hot bath and some ibuprofen, in a few days, this would all be gone.

It was my body's familiar cycle. Having been through a lot of physical trauma in my career as a firefighter and a soldier, I had learned that this was just part of the journey of my well-lived life. To everyone else, this looked like an emergency, but to me it was just something I had to walk through.

As Christians, most of us don't start out knowing how to walk through difficult situations, trusting in God. Just like walking through pain was something that I had to learn how to do well over time. Trusting God is something that we learn by choosing His perspective over and over again. As time goes on, we don't worry or fear when others might, because we know that this too shall pass, and in the meantime, we are able to stay calm and trust the process.

Pause for Reflection: In what ways are you able to trust God and weather uncomfortable or even painful seasons, hand in hand with Him, and in what ways are you still working on trust and leaning on your own understanding?

Scripture Meditation: Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.