Mountains Into Roads
by Joanne Sher
Sometimes, life is hard. It feels like you are making no progress. You just want to turn around and go the other way–any way but the awful path you seem to be stuck on.
But you can’t. The illness won’t go away. Your kids won’t behave. The job doesn’t get any better. Your marriage isn’t mending. The bank account is empty.
So, what do you do? You keep plugging on. You keep climbing that mountain, hoping against hope that you’ll make it to the top and back through to the other side in one piece.
That mountain. We all have mountains we’re trying to climb, barriers that are keeping us from where we want to be, that are making getting there (wherever “there” may be) tough.
But, do you know what? Those mountains are not truly our mountains. Sure, they’re affecting us, but they don’t belong to us. Those mountains–those struggles–are God’s. He knows about them. He allowed them to block our path. In many cases, He put them there.
When I was doing my quiet time this morning, the Lord taught me something else He will do with those mountains. The book of Isaiah is one of my favorites, and this verse has blessed me all day, the more and more I think about it.
I will turn all my mountains into roads. Isaiah 49:11a NIV
The battles we face–the mountains we climb–will become direct paths to God’s will for us. As we hike up that seemingly insurmountable peak, the Lord will use it to lead us on the path He wants us to follow. The very struggles we are experiencing will become the road that leads us to the precise location where God wants us.
So, if you’re hiking one of those mountains, thinking you can’t handle another day, press on. You may just be on just the right road, and God is right there with you.
And that’s the best place to be.
(c) Joanne Sher 2008
Joanne Sher is a Christian writer saved out of Judaism. She is currently working on “Ailing Body, Nourished Soul,” a nonfiction book about God’s workings in her family during her husband’s serious health issues. Learn more about her at http://joannesher.blogspot.com.
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10 Comments until now.
Beautifully written. “The very struggles we are experiencing will become the road that leads us to the precise location where God wants us.” That sentence really struck a chord with me this morning. Thanks for sharing.
This is so true. I remember taking the online bible study Believing God by Beth Moore and there was a point where she asked us to picture that mountain breaking. I literally saw my personal mountain turn into pebbles. I’ll never forget the imagery, it was powerful and God came through, of course!
Amen. Extremely well said and spot on for me this morning (sigh, maybe a little longer than that). Thanks Jo and thank You, Lord, for Your gentle (sometimes), faithful (always) presence. <3 <3
Thanks for featuring this, Lynda
This one still gets me (and I wrote it! LOL)
The book of Isaiah is one of my favorites as well – and that particular verse has been such a blessing to me!
a perfect message for the soul! Thanks, Joanne and Lynda!
It gets me, too Jo!!!!
WOW!
I have no idea how articles are chosen for the daily blog, but I must
tell you this one was exactly what I needed today. Even though it was written in July,God knew I would need it in December. Thanks Joanne for being an instrument of blessing.
This was such an encouragement to me. There’s a meeting I have to attend tomorrow afternoon that’s not of my choosing. This article has given me the hope that I can face what lies ahead.