On The Trail

Life is full of decisions. We face them every day. So how do we know what is the right thing to do? Look for the trail markers.

I love to hike. Living where I do, there is really only one place to do that - The Ice Age Trail (IAT). The IAT runs for 1,000 miles throughout Wisconsin.

The trail is marked along the way with yellow markings like the one in the picture or a simple splotch of yellow paint on a tree. However sometimes things happen and you're not really sure if you're on the right path or not.

For example, the trail is not continuous. Sometimes there are roadways between segments. Those aren't always well marked. What do we do then? There are trail maps available. It's always good to have one of those along . . . just in case.

Sometimes there are actual obstacles on the trail. Yesterday I came upon a downed tree that fell across the trail. I also encountered an overfilled lake that made the trail impassable. What happens then? How do we complete our journey?

In our walk with Christ we often face similar obstacles. How do we navigate those? The picture above contains a clue. See the yellow marker? We know that they mark the trail. If you look closely you can see the next one up ahead. There is another marker on the trail ahead (in the snow to the left). We know where we want to go. It's just a matter of getting there.

God has given us His Word - The Holy Bible. By reading it we know where God wants us to go in life. We know the direction for our lives. It is our job to follow in obedience, regardless of what might come.

People always ask, "What is God's will for me in my life?" Here's the answer. Read the Bible!! Study God's character and emulate it. Having a knowledge of what God wants us to do is an excellent way to stay in His will.

What is the goal of life? For the Christian it is to live life, worshiping and praising God in all that we do. It is to arrive at the final destination without deviating from the path God has put us on.

Look at the picture. If my goal is to find the end of the trail, what are my choices?

• Give up - Well, turning around is not an option. That's not going to get me where I'm supposed to go. I'd be fine physically but I would never know what blessings might await me at the end of life's road.
• Continue On - I could walk right through life's obstacles (the water in the picture) and continue on, all on my own. My feet would be wet and I would become miserable. Hypothermia would be a possibility. Death perhaps.
• Ignore the markers - I could also go around the obstacle, but to do this I'd have to leave the trail. The chances of getting lost go way up when I try to find my own way without a map or directions. This too could be deadly.

Most of us try to figure out how to do things on our own. We ignore the most powerful tool we have in our backpacks. God.

You see, there is a fourth way to get to the end of the trail. It is possible to get to the destination by following the markers, staying on the trail and not "getting our feet wet" in the obstacles life throws at us. Do you know what it is?

Patience.

If I wait long enough the flood waters will recede and I can walk right though without a moment's hesitation. How many of us truthfully wait on The Lord. If an obstacle stands before us, do we wait and pray? Or do we forge ahead, trying to do things our way? How will we walk through life's decisions today? Will we trust in the Lord today?

"Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight." - Proverbs 3:5-6

God's Will - Martina McBride