The Paths of Life

Paths of Life. We all walk them every day. Every one of us has a different path of life that we are called to walk upon. Sometimes we walk that pathway alone and at some seasons of the journey, others will come and join us for a time upon our pathway. Have you ever considered the path of life that you are now walking?

Paths can be smooth; when everything seems to be going just right. There doesn’t seem to be any problems or stresses, no signs of trouble anywhere in sight, no arguments or disagreements with others on the pathway. Everything is calm, peaceful, happy and even joyful. The walking on such a path is so easy and comfortable; your step is light and carefree. And as others join you on the path, you often find yourself laughing, feeling energized and actually enjoying the journey.

But sometimes the path is rocky and difficult to manuever. Troubles come into life like rocks on the pathway making your footing unsteady and unsure. Troubles like job loses, financial difficulties, marriage issues, challenges with the children, health struggles and oh my, but that list of troubles can (and often does) go on and on and on. When walking on such a pathway, we have to be ever so careful with our steps. If we don’t watch where we are going, it is easy to stumble, to fall or to lurch forward or worse yet, to create an avalanche of falling rocks as we ourselves lose our balance and come crashing to the ground.

Upon every pathway, we are certain to encounter the unforeseen bends in the road, the sudden u-turns, the narrowing twists and turns or worst yet, those cliff-hanging moments where we are so certain we will fall if we go that patricular way. All of these are even harder to manuever simply because we don’t know what lies ahead. During these times on the path of life, its easy to become fearful and discouraged. We are tempted to turn back and go the way that we are more familiar with, where we will feel safe. We give up too easily because it becomes too hard, too dangerous or too impossible to pass that way. With this kind of pathway, and whatever our reaction is to it, we simply have to stop in our tracks and consider carefully what our next step will be. We have to consider that if we yield to the temptation of giving up, turning around, or jumping off that cliff, then we might just miss the waterfall on the other side.

Many times, as I have been walking my own personal path of life, I find myself asking this question: “How do people do this journey on life’s pathways without Jesus?” My path of life certainly hasn’t been smooth walking. No way! So many times I have gotten lost, took a wrong turn, felt exhausted and unable to take another step. My path of life has been filled with many a stream to cross, rocks to climb, quick-sand that catches me off guard. I can’t tell you how many u-turns and bends in the road I’ve encountered along the way. I’ve even found some “beasties” in my way that would have devoured me for sure had I not been a quick thinker. There have been moments when standing on the cliff side of my path that I simply stop dead in my tracks. And I wonder!

But then, I look up and I see an incredibly beautiful sunrise (or sunset)! I see a majestic eagle gliding faultlessly through the sky! I see a colorful double rainbow of promise! I see the cool, refreshing waterfall ahead! And I stand in awe!

Jesus gave me a precious promise when I was just a young girl. He promised that He would show me the path of life that He intends me to walk. And He has kept that promise for me over all my years. Not only has He shown me that path, step by step, but He has been walking it with me! And oh, what a journey together it has been! Even when the path became rough, He was right there with me, guiding, strengthening and helping me over the tough spots. I couldn’t do it without Him. I wouldn’t want to! And my friend, do you know what I have discovered on this path of life with Jesus? In His presence, when we are standing side by side, walking and talking together, there truly is a fulness of Joy! Oh, what Joy! I’m going to keep on walking with Jesus. He’s in the lead on that path of life and I make the daily choice to walk with Him. And I am more than confident that one day, His path of life will lead me straight to Heaven, where I will see my Heavenly Father face to face, where the path will be perfect and paved with gold, and where I will experience wonderful joy and pleasures forevermore!

What about your path of life? Where is it taking you?