Back to Square One

Have you ever gone into a life size maze? You turn down a hall, only to find out it leads to a dead end. We are sometimes tempted to get frustrated because we didn’t get anywhere, but that’s not true. If you remember where you have been, you can rule out the hallway... a step closer. Well, my knee had been getting a little more painful. Today, it decided to create problems again. I started off with a little pain, that progressed to limping, to almost dragging my foot, to being back on crutches again. It seemed like it had been taken care of, but now I am back to square one. Well, that’s not true. They have an x-ray that can eliminate some issues. Now, I know where some of the pain is coming from, so that should help clarify. The next step is to figure out if physical therapy will be beneficial, or if I need another direction. I’m not recovering quite as fast this time. As frustrating as it gets, I know there are still options that are out there. I think sometimes our faith can seem a little like that at times too. One day, God’s word seems so true, His presence seems so close, and I feel like nothing could ever steal that from me. Then distractions, hardships, challenges, etc. get in the way and I stop spending as much time with God in His word and in prayer. The result? Has God left me? No. Do I feel like God has left me. Yes! Why? Because I have started relying on myself to take care of things rather than entrust it to the One that can really change things. When my knee started having issues, I was having problems just trying to get dressed. My wife reminded me of a trick I had told her after some of her surgeries. Now when I needed to use that trick, I struggled because I was trying to figure out how I could do it, rather than use some aids that made the job easier. That is a powerful picture of our own walk when we trust ourselves more than we rely on God. With God, I am never at square one. There are always options. Sometimes what I go through today can help me or others tomorrow. I might be tempted to give up on myself, depending on my circumstances, but with God all things are possible. The lesson is that we need to trust in the One who is greater than all our efforts. Father, here I am again, struggling with my own sinful nature. Whether healed or not, I want to live each day trusting You. Amen.