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When You Can't See Over the Hill

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."  Jeremiah 29:11

As we drive through the winding, rural mountain road, I find myself admiring the beautiful scenery out of my passenger side window.  I gaze at the old barns, the small white-sided country churches, and yes, I even see a fully functioning alpaca farm! 

The scenery might be quite enjoyable, but there is another part of mountain cruising that I don't think I could ever grow accustomed to.  I have learned to handle the winding roads quite well, but it's when those same roads seem as if they are going to disappear right before your very eyes that tends to make me quite hysterical!

I think I could drive the mountain roads everyday and I think that I would always thoroughly despise coming to the crest of a hill and not being able to see what is waiting on the other side.  It's as if you're blinded to what lies ahead.  I almost feel like I'm going to be driving over a cliff!

I have to literally remind myself that there is undoubtedly continual asphalt on the other side of that hill.  It will not fall off into the abyss and I will live to tell about it!

I find myself doing the same thing with my life sometimes.  There have been times where it felt as if I couldn't see exactly what lie on the other side of the horizon.  It looked as if everything had the potential to change in the blink of an eye.  It looked as if I was about to take a great big leap of faith, hoping that there was going to be a well marked path on the other side.

Whenever I get fearful about what lies on the other side of the hill, I have to remember that God knows exactly what lies on the other side.  I have to remind myself that He has a beautiful plan for my life.  I might see a road that looks unfinished, but He sees all the way through to the "Stop" sign at the end of my life.

Whenever the prophet, Jeremiah, was telling the Jewish exiles that they would one day be returned to their homeland, the Lord reminded them that His plans for them were great and prosperous.  He knew all about their future, and it was filled with hope.

The promises in Jeremiah 29:11 has been a source of peace for God's people since the time it was recorded.  It's a beautiful reminder that God is truly sovereign and that He holds our days in His hands. 

So, what do we do whenever we come to the realization that the road before us is held in the hands of an Almighty God? 

We choose to trust Him.

Life is full of so many choices, many of which are very tough.  We make tough choices like forgiving someone who repetitively wrongs us.  We choose to love the unlovable.  And we choose to trust a road that we cannot see.

I am choosing to trust God right now with a road that I cannot fully see.  What road is He taking you down that requires you to trust Him?  Will you choose to trust Him, or will you allow the fear of the unknown paralyze you?

Choose to trust Him today. 

Comments

  1. Yes...Jeremiah is full of hope and promise....one of my favorites....God is good...wonderful....He is my source...my all...my Alpha and Omega...my heart and soul is being repaired....for the rest of my journey.....joy.....is returning.......I've got a lot more to do.....with His help.....allowing Him to use me. I have had the blessing of living a lot of my life in the mountains.....the curves....are exactly the way you described.... thank you for your insight.....and I've always been aware of the beauty of the mountains and now beginning to see the beauty in the curves in life....God bless you and yous...

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