Transparent Christian Magazine

Not long ago I was visiting with a family friend who lived on the streets for a while.  He made a statement that has echoed in my mind ever since.  He said, “I never asked God to take me off the streets, but just to get me through that day.” It has taken me a while to begin to understand the enormity of that statement, especially since spiritually I often tend to be a prima donna begging to be delivered at the first sign of discomfort.

In the book of James we are reminded that we should rejoice in the hard times for this is where our faith is tested and developed.  Consequently, if God were to deliver us every time we asked, it would only thwart His efforts to “grow” us up.  Even the apostle Paul asked God to remove an uncomfortable issue that he dealt with. However, later he stated that he had learned to be content in every situation.

On a recent trip to northern California, we traveled some very curvy mountainous roads.  Many of these roads were quite worn from the often extreme winter weather.  But alongside these paths were some of the most beautiful sights that I have ever beheld:  Lake Tahoe, the mountainous formations of Yosemite and clear mountain streams.

I think the same is true in our lives.  Along those long curvy rough pathways, God does his best work and develops something beautiful in us.  Always looking for the short cuts and detours may very well cause us to miss His best for us.

Lisa