Two Trails

While hiking on a gorgeous fall morning last Sunday, I came to a fork in the trail. The one to the right looked like an easy walk that meandered through the woods. The one to the left looked like a hard, steep climb to what might be a beautiful view. Since I’m all about the view, you can guess which one I took.

While in the middle of that hard climb, the Lord began to speak to me –
Daughter, it’s good to make the choice that looks hard. That’s what pushes you to do what seems impossible and to reap impossible’s reward. It’s always better to at least try the hard way, which is usually the better way.

Those who try the hard way and fail are much more likely to try again and again until they succeed. Whereas those on the easy trail never gain the benefit of pushing their own strength into Mine or seeing life from My view.

I realized that choosing the easy trail is often much longer and results in worse hardships than those encountered on the hard trail.

I was reminded about the children of Israel refusing the hard way that led into their Promised Land. They were afraid of the giants that made them feel like grasshoppers. Choosing the easy trail led them into the wilderness, delaying their good future by 40 years.

However, it was far from easy. Quite ironically they were confronted by a giant of giants! Og, the king of Bashan, was so big that Scripture tell us how big his bed was (Dt 3:11). This means that he was larger than the giants in the Promised Land.

So I encourage you – take that rocky, steep trail to the left and see how far you can go. You might just be reward with a view like this.