Helpful Hiking
I took a hike the other day. It was one of those few moments in my week where my kids are all in school or preschool. I figured I could get a workout in while also having some good prayer time with Jesus. It had been a long couple of months, and I was just needing some time at the Lord’s feet. I bundled up and took off hiking. My mind was jumbled from all I had just accomplished to get my kids to school. There was so much hectic hurry, it felt almost awkward to be on an unhurried hike. I sped up the pace just to match my previous hurried mode and also to get my blood pumping for a good workout. But then, I felt the Lord helping me to slow down and enjoy a different pace.
Sometimes, we have to embrace an abrupt change of pace so that God can extend perspective on meaningful moments. It was in that slow pace that I felt the Lord taking me back through my crazy morning, and helping me see the beauty of it all. I hushed my hurry, and opened my eyes to what was written between the lines of my fast paced life. With three littles that are six and under, I easily emphasize the exhausting duties of being a mom. I tend to think it’s all on me to create a good life for them. But when I awkwardly step back for a moment, and look at my life with the vision of my Father, I see just how wonderful it is and how “He” actually does it all…not me.
I can smile again at the way my kids sang songs in the car on the way to school. Or I can cherish the way my daughter hugged me tight as I carried her down the stairs for breakfast. I can sit in the moment where they waved goodbye to me as they walked into their classrooms. When I got into my car after the last drop off, I breathed a sigh of relief. But when I reached the summit on my casual hike I breathed a prayer of recognition for the amazing blessing that I have in just getting to be a part of their lives.
As I sat down at the top and looked out over the city, I also began to review some of the hardships our family had walked through in the last few months. I thanked the Lord for the renewed perspective He had given me for mothering my kids. But I ached for a fresh new word concerning some of the other issues we were facing. I sat for a long time just waiting for a word from the Lord. What I didn’t realize in the silence, was that I really wanted Him to show me how to fix it. I was in such a go, go, go and do, do, do mode that I just wanted Him to show me what to “go and do” in order to make everything right.
After a while of not hearing much, I heard Him speak two words, “Armies arising.” While it seemed like an exciting word, I was a bit confused, and it honestly did not seem helpful. I needed a “how to” word, or at least I thought I did. But in these two words, God began to reveal to me that I had absolutely no power in myself to fix things, but that He was ON IT!!
The armies of heaven were arising on behalf of my family, and I needed to relinquish the responsibility to fight for my own victory (Ephesians 6:12). These armies were ushering in the victory that had already been won, and my responsibility was to LET THEM. Lord, help me to get out of Your way so that you may do Your work.