HIDDEN VALLEYS

Looks good is a comment that we can say when we presume there is promise in a place we have to walk. And there are so many times that first impressions suck. At least in terms of the future.

One appears full of blessing grows painful and dark. Storms come and we are pressed by the accusing inner voice to ask "where is God."

With this type of posting I am reminded of the people of Israel as they struggled in the wilderness before losing faith completely when faced with the promise land dangers. What unfolded during that wilderness experience was a testing of their souls. They tried to put God to the test in terms of keeping his word. But in the end it was their hearts that got examined.

It is so easy when life takes a nosedive to doubt God's faithfulness to his word. And it is also easy to get upset when we presume that our path when follow the Lord should be one where he does more to make it easy.

Only in reality it doesn't work that way. God doesn't spare us the problems of life. For example when the people of Israel were in the desert he didn't rain a bunch of Air Conditioners on them or make it snow to spare them from dealing with the heat.

The backdrop of faith is that it is set in a realm where we walk along with those who have no faith. He doesn't let us grow wings to fly over the land.

Why? It is a hard question to answer in some ways. I think it is in part because he does desire to not put us in the position where he somehow makes us different in terms of life's experiences than the rest of the world.

The reason is simple. If he did somehow spare us from the heartache of life there would be those that sought him out just because it meant being spared the pain of life. How that would truly benefit others is questionable. For God wants us to follow him for the right reasons and not because we are tempted by some chance of an easy life.

So the parade continues. We follow the path of life that others follow. We are given strength to fight the problems of life, but not a life absence those challenges.

I find it interesting that among the promises to the tribes of Israel was the one that they would have shoes made of iron and brass. Basically they would have shoes capable of enduring the long hard journey. God could have avoided that need by sparing them the trip altogether, but it isn't how the Lord works.

It might be popular with some to imagine life without hardship. Some even preach it. But in reality the path of faith is one that walks along with the rest of life and not alone with not risk common to all men. Our choice is within the means to be listening to his word and promise and not the complaints of every man.