Isaiah 41:13: “I am the LORD your God who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, Do not fear; I will help you."
“This is the superintendent calling to let you know that there will be no school tomorrow.” Oh, the joy that phone call can bring! A snow day! The first one is always particularly exciting. The last several years, we haven’t really had much snow, but this year we started off with a bang! I’m not sure exactly how much there was here at my house, but probably 8-10 inches.
My family all got out in it to play – snowball fights, snowmen, sleds, and snowboards. We have a small hill in our front yard that we’ve always used for sledding with the kids. It’s not a super fabulous sledding hill, but it works. My daughter got the sleds down from the attic, but then she had a little trouble getting started. She stood there at the top of the hill looking down and asked, “How do I do this again?” It really has been a while!
That first trip down the hill is never the best ride. The sled tends to stick a little, and you often need a bit of a push. (I told you, it’s not the best sledding hill!) But the more you go down, the smoother the path becomes. The snow packs down and makes the slide faster and easier.
I was struck by the thought today that my faith journey is a little like that. When starting out in this process of obedience, the first steps tend to be frustrating and tentative – a little awkward and unsure. But as I continue to step out in faith and obedience, each time it gets a little easier to trust God.
It’s not always a smooth ride down the hill, though! Sometimes I get off the track, sometimes I mess up and end up tumbling off the sled and into the snow, and sometimes I don’t have enough momentum to make it to the bottom without a push!
When I’m sledding, I expect those things to happen. I don’t get upset over those blunders. Those are usually the times when I end up laughing the most! And when I’m watching my kids, there is just so much joy in the whole scene.
I think that’s how it should be in my attempts to follow Christ, too. I should know that it’s not going to be perfect and let it be OK when I stumble and fumble and tumble. There should be joy in the journey! But sometimes I allow fear of failure to overwhelm me. In my classroom, I never expect the students to do everything correctly on their first try. I know that mistakes are an important part of the learning. I need to be reminded of that, though, when it comes to my spiritual walk, as well.
Father God, thank you for the joy and beauty of the snow! Thank you for the lessons You teach us as we walk with You each day. Thank You for Your patience and love as we stumble. Help us to find Your path and to follow You always! Help us to lighten up and enjoy the ride!
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