Sometimes We Can’t See the Next Step
For years we have driven by the entrance to the Capulin Volcano National Monument while on our way to other destinations . . . always looking over and saying how we should go there someday.
Well someday finally came . . . along with thick, soupy weather. At an elevation 8,182 feet, the entire volcano was hidden in a dense cloud that reduced visibility to a matter of feet instead of the hundreds of miles seen on a clear day. We made the decision to hike the rim anyway. The trail is well maintained so there was no concern that we might miss a turn or walk off a ledge.
A Well Marked Path Through an Unseen Future
Life often comes at us like the cloud on top of the volcano that day, casting a dense blanket over the future or blocking our view of everything but what is closest to us. On our hike of the rim, all we could see was the a few yards ahead and yet we made it safely around the rim.
God’s word is like that well-marked path that kept us moving forward without fear. Though we couldn’t see the journey ahead, we trusted in the path to guide us. God doesn’t show us the future, but when we walk in surrender to Him, studying His Word and choosing to be obedient to His direction, our path is secure.
Several days later we had the chance to return to Capulin. This time we hiked the rim on a clear day. The views across the vistas were beautiful. But we also saw all the ways we could have been injured on the rim hike if we hadn’t stayed on the trail. Cactus, steep inclines, rand jagged rocks were all waiting just out of sight to cause us harm on the day when the cloud covered the top of the volcano.
Peace for the Journey
Sometimes God lovingly hides the dangers around us, so we don’t become paralyzed with fear and refuse to move. This is an act of kindness, teaching us to focus on the path—His Word—and take the next step. In this way, He can lead us up the steepest mountains and through the darkest valleys, taking us places we would never have attempted if we’d been allowed to see the full picture.
When we learn to trust God’s word, completely and without, no matter where the trail takes us, we will have peace.
In my novel, Beneath the Broken Oak releasing later this year, my protagonist experiences peace in times of chaos and stress. It’s a peace she doesn’t understand but can’t deny. And when it happens repeatedly, she starts to ask questions. Tragedy led her to turn from following God. Tragedy will bring her back as she struggles to understand the source of this “peace that passes understanding” (see Philippians 4:7).
Questions for Reflection:
1. Have you ever experienced a peace that didn't make sense in the midst of a trial? To what did you attribute this feeling?
2. What does it mean that God’s Word is a lamp to your feet?
3. How might memorizing this verse and meditating on it help you through a difficult time?
