A blinding bluish-white light flashed followed by the sudden crash of thunder around us. The black clouds, not far above us, tore open and shot out thick cold drops. This was in contrast to the bright, clear and happy morning in the 5,800 foot mountain air only an hour earlier. Our small group, along with our sons, were on a hike about 2 miles from camp and stood on a narrow ledge under a small rock outcropping which was about 20 feet above the swelling creek below us. The water which went from a gentle rolling flow over rocks, to boiling white water spraying over the stones that were sinking fast. Every now and then, the wind would roll over the boulders above our heads and blast us with a chill. Eventually the rain and wind stopped and the sky revealed the sun again.
We were faced with a new problem. All the rocks, stones and granite faces we climbed over were now as slick as a grease coated slip-n-slide on a side of a steep hill. One wrong move and we’d be trying to swim against the current with a broken arm… and we had our kids with us! We worked hard to find the best path, and made a “dad chain” for our kids to traverse. It took us three times longer, but we got our kids safely back to camp.
I think it’s safe to say that life can be like that trip. We hadn’t planned on a storm, but there it was. We didn’t make an unwise or stupid decision and were simply suffering the natural consequences. In fact, we didn’t do anything wrong, but there we were, faced with obstacles and a rugged path we did not anticipate… and getting home seemed impossible. I used to often pray that God would make my path and my family’s path smooth… free from obstacles. But that rarely happened. Was God not listening? Did I do something to offend Him? Was I not doing something I should? Were my prayers too short or too long? How often has your life been a smooth, even when you’re doing it right? Exactly! Most people would answer the same! It’s not smooth at all! God doesn’t promise us an easy trek through life. There is no prayer, or action, or knowledge that will guarantee trouble free times for our families or us! Look at what the profit Habakkuk says:
“The Sovereign LORD is my strength; he makes my feet like the feet of a deer, he enables me to tread on the heights” – Habakkuk 3:19
That storm would have done little to stop, or even slow down a deer taking the same path we took. Their feet are designed to swiftly and safely carry them over the most rugged peaks the earth can offer. So this passage is quite a statement… it’s not only saying God gives strength to tread jagged heights, but it also says He will provide the feet needed to take that path. Perhaps instead of asking God for a smoother path, we should ask that He gives us the kind of feet needed to walk the path He has put in front of us.