Life! Sometimes it is like riding a high-speed rollercoaster in the dark. It can be a thrilling and exciting ride or it can be a terrifying experience. Sometimes the journey takes unexpected turns and sometimes the bottom seems to drop out before it goes back up. As little Much Afraid learned in Hinds’ Feet on High Places[1], it doesn’t always follow the path we would choose.
As much as we would like it to be otherwise, most of life is beyond our control. In reality, about the only thing that we are able to control is our reaction and response to the circumstances which life throws at us. And we have been given the freedom to make choices, countless choices every day about how we live. Many of them are conscious choices. Many are not. Either way, we will deal with the consequences, good or bad, of those choices.
In an isolated world, solely our choices and the forces of nature would govern our lives. Nevertheless, as much as we would like to be in control of our own lives, we live in a world populated by other people. Not only do they want to be in control of their own lives, sometimes they want to control ours as well. Very often, it happens that we wind up reaping the consequences of someone else’s choices. It is not always fair.
There will be disappointments and sorrows in life and there will be pain and suffering. These can be either friends and guides which help to lead us forward or they will be enemies which destroy us. We can choose to allow them to build and strengthen our faith and trust in God or we can choose to allow them to destroy us with bitterness and hatred.
As it did for little Much Afraid, the path will not always lead in the direction we would choose. At times, it will seem to lead away from where we believe it should go. This is my position now. I do not want to leave Mexico
At this time, I believe that returning home is the right thing to do. All that remains is to determine the timing. In the natural world, it doesn’t look promising. I am returning at age 61 to no job in a poor economy with nothing to fall back on. However, I also know that none of this came as a surprise to God. I believe that He has already provided the solutions. I expect to be able to give a significant testimony to His goodness when this is settled.
Life is an interesting journey. I am sad over what is happening but I am also excited because I am trusting God to be faithful to His promises. I am excited to see how this plays out. The difference between trusting God and trusting self is what determines whether the ride is exciting or terrifying. I prefer exciting.
(If you have never read Hinds' Feet, I highly recommend it. The principles taught have helped me many times in my life.)
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