More on doing the best that I can

I preached to myself this morning on this topic:

Friends and familiy can advise you, but their assessment isn't always right for you. And even if you wait on the Lord for His leading, it can be hard in the thick of the emotions to hear Him. My father-in-law once said something wise : "you make a decision as best you can with the information you have and then you live with the decision even if it wasn't the best one possible".

There is no perfect answer, but only the best you can do. Being careful is good. Pros and cons are good. And then, at some point, you have to step out and do it. But you can, and you will, and people will pray for you (and God will cover you).

And then God tells me that I am doing too much without Him.

Imagine being in an airplane over a beautiful mountain lake. The scene is breathtaking, and the setting is almost perfect. There is a waterfall. There are alpine meadows full of flowers.

Now imagine arriving at the same lake having climbed the mountain, hiked through the meadow to arrive there. You are exhausted. You have perhaps struggled to keep going. Maybe it's way more than you felt you could handle and you had to really push through. But you made it. And now, you are surrounded by the scent of the alpine flowers. The sound of the waterfall is gentle and soothing. The air is fresh and the scenery is breathtaking.

Think of all you would have missed if you didn't slog up the mountain.

Just like you, I'd rather not have the struggle to get to where I want to be. I certainly would never have chosen the path I'm on. But this perspective was helpful. Sometimes we need to have those moments of crawling on our knees, or sliding back and having to climb again. I don't believe God inflicts them on us to teach us a lesson. However, I do believe that there is a better route, and perhaps an easier path with His help and His leading.