Yesterday I went to a woman’s meeting
and the speaker did a great job speaking about fear and what to do about
it. At the tables we discussed times in
our own lives when we had to face fears.
I’ve had many, but one of the worst in which I felt in extreme, imminent
physical danger was in 1989 when Albert and I went to the Canadian Rockies.
We were walking along the established
trail to the Hoodoos when my husband noticed an unmarked trail over the
railing. He convinced me to go onto this
other trail which looked reasonably safe at the time. I should have known better as Albert had once
taken a photo looking down the Grand Canyon with his
feet literally half over the canyon wall- no railing! Anyway, we started down this trail which continued
to become narrower until it basically disappeared. By then, our feet were sliding on the small
rocks that made up the sides of the hill.
I looked down. It was a loooooong way down! There was nothing to catch our fall. I looked up.
It was a loooooong way up and seemed to be about an 80% incline with
loose gravel. Fear and panic consumed me
and I froze. I was sure if I moved I
would plummet down the mountain never to be seen again. Albert tried to get me to turn around and
that seemed to take forever.
At some point, I remember yelling and
crying that I couldn’t do it when I heard people from up on the trail cheering
me on, saying, “You can do it. Keep
going!” Albert kept telling I could do
it and sometimes I was brave enough to take his hand and move a greater
distance ahead. Eventually, it was him
staying in front of me holding out his hand reminding me to keep looking at him
and inch forward that helped me along.
Bit by bit we worked our way back up and the relief was incredible. I did not think I would survive, but I did.
In my life’s journey, I have also been
in dark places of great fear, even for my life.
In many of those times I lost focus on the Lord, only seeing the
potential disaster around me, and I couldn’t hear the voices of family and
friends cheering me on. Those were
difficult times. But when I’d eventually
regain my focus on the Lord and His goodness, when I’d bypass my fear and take
hold of His hand, and when I’d look only at Him (not up or down at the
mountain) and move forward no matter the size of the step, it was those times I
made the best progress.
For this God is our God forever and ever; He will be our guide even
to death. Ps. 48:14
…let us lay aside every weight and the sin which so
easily besets us, and let us run with
patience the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus the Author and
Finisher of our faith, who for the joy
that was set before Him endured the
cross, despising the shame, and sat down at the right of the throne of God. Hb.
12:1,2
looking- aphorao- to turn the eyes away from other things
and fix them on something
author- archegos- one who takes the lead
finisher- teleiotes- completer, perfector- by own example
So I have learned to fixed my eyes on
Jesus to get me through the tough times of life, and I now know He is with me
all the way (Is. 43:2) as I walk on this journey. He doesn’t leave me or fail to be here for me
(Dt. 31:8). He faithfully (1Cr. 1:9)
leads me on the treacherous ground to the path He wants me to walk on. And there, in the safety of His arms, I am
able to do all He calls me to do for He is my Strength (Ps. 28:7) and Tower of
protection (Pr. 18:10).
Thank You Lord for always being one step ahead of me- to lead me!