“Fix your gaze straight ahead, keep your focus on Him." ~ Proverbs 4:25
Ariella loved to walk … without a
specific purpose … until her legs tired.
In such a fast-paced and proficiency driven world, that idea seemed
counter-intuitive to most; a complete waste of time. Living life had become all about doing,
without much thought for simply being.
But for Ariella, these meanderings gave her the most fortuitous
moments. She often came across ‘hidden’
secrets or creative ideas; things she might’ve missed had she any specific destination.
Today Ariella took her usual time, savoring the sound of
birdsongs, wind noises brushing through the trees, even the sound of her own footsteps
trampling the ground. Scanning the
horizon for a new adventure, she spotted a set of railroad tracks.
She let her mind imagine the earth trembling as coal cars
stretching beyond the horizon rumbled by.
Or maybe empty box cars rattling in the rain. She even pictured herself as a hobo whose
personal freedom ranked well ahead of any ambition for worldly gain.
Ariella hopped up trying to balance herself on a single rail. They were both narrow and slippery. She slid off immediately.
It was only when she started looking ahead, far down the
tracks, that she could walk the rail. Keeping
her eyes forward with one foot in front of the other, Ariella soon walked with confidence. Minus any other sort of stimulation - no
talking, audiobooks or music, an unexpected life lesson came to mind.
You can’t go through life, she thought, watching and
fretting about every step you take or choice you make. That second guessing often leads you off the
rails. Looking behind is even worse. You can’t see the path ahead with your eyes on
the past. You can only stand still;
stuck in your regrets.
It’s only when you look ahead that you can really move
forward, envisioning the life you want to lead, the love you want to share, and
the light you want to shine. Then each
step you take and every choice you make is filled with love, compassion and
humility.
When you’re in the middle of life’s storms, it can be hard
to find the strength you need to keep going.
And when a friend, a loved one, or family member faces trials, it’s
difficult to know how to encourage them.
So, keep your eyes forward, seeing with our hearts the life
we want to live. We all need to take
each other’s hands and walk the path of love together, knowing that God is by
our side with each step we take.
