And He has said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.” Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me.
Have you ever been in a place where you feel as if there is no reasonable place to turn? You look everywhere, but you can't see a solution. And boy - are you looking!
Every alternative has something majorly wrong with it. Did the path ahead of you just come to a screeching halt?
I liken it to the story of "Much Afraid" in Hinds Feet on High Places by Hannah Hurrnard. Much Afraid is just that - much afraid. She is walking willingly with the Chief Shepherd - following his lead, when she is abruptly faced with a steep precipice. The path she has been following ends at its base. The mountain rises so sharply that it is apparently unscalable.
The Chief Shepherd points out a steep, precarious path up the mountain - Mount Injury. Much Afraid begins crying and sobbing, knowing she does not have the wherewithall within to even face that climb.
What I love about this part of the story is that Christ oh-s0-compassionately understands her fears. He does not berate her for them. In fact, he almost delights in them. He knows he is the only one who is able to strengthen her - and that she will, indeed, be able to ascend this challenge.
Today, we face such a challenge. The path before us looks nothing short of impossible. As I sat bemoaning what lies ahead of us, my youngest child said, "Mommy, why don't we pray about it."
"But I don't know what to pray for. I just don't see any way," was my response.
"Why don't we just pray for God to take care of us no matter what happens," she said softly.
Of course.
So we bowed our heads, and our littlest one led us in prayer.
I still don't know how we are going to make it through this one. No flashing neon light lit up the sky. Yet, I know that Christ is the one who will lead us through this challenge.
He - and he alone can show us the path - even if it looks like an impossible path to me.
Father God, I praise and thank you that you understand our fears, and that you have made a path for us - even in the places where we see no path. Help us to have the faith to follow, even when following appears impossible. Amen and amen.