Standing on the white sandy beach after dark, gazing into the stars I was in awe of God’s majesty and His goodness to share glimpses of Himself with us. I was thrilled to finally be at the beach! What a gift! Then to my dismay, the pier closed and we had to find another way back to the condo where we were staying. We could walk way down the beach and get back on the road, but wait! There were houses lining the beach. Surely we could cut across one of the private piers and get to the road quicker. Yes! That was definitely the route to take.
We were quietly tiptoeing down the pier when we came to a locked gate. Without giving it much thought, I hopped down into the grasses below and OHHHH! Oh my goodness! What in the world was down there? I felt like I had stepped onto a porcupine. Trying to stifle my screams I literally hopped back to the pier crying, “Ooo, Ooo, Ooo” with each jump. As I fell onto the pier I saw enormous prickly “porcupines” all in my feet.
Furiously, I began yanking those little monsters out. What? You’ve got to be kidding me? They stuck in my hands as I pulled them out. Now I had what looked like tacky Christmas ornaments dangling from my hands and my feet! The more I pulled on these little boogers, needles started breaking into my skin, leaving behind painful reminders of my rash decision not to take shoes to the beach. After what seemed like forever, I got all visible signs of these humongous thistle thingys out of my foot, but the pain lingered. Some of those nasty needles are still in my feet but I can’t even see them to get them out!
Its been three days since I made that dreadful decision to hop off that pier and I’ve learned a few things. I’d like to share them with you:
1.When we try to take the easy way out, it might seem right for the moment, but its consequences can linger with us for a long time.
2.In our haste to rid ourselves of pain, we might inflict more pain. Sometimes pain is a healthy thing. It alerts our bodies to problems. We need not to ignore our pain, or look for quick fixes, but need to seek God’s healing power.
3.When we venture off the right path, there are all kinds of traps waiting to ensnare us!
4.God’s timing is always perfect. I want quick fixes, but He wants me to wait on Him!
5.We need to wear the right armor (in this case, I needed my shoes)!
6.Others might not see the pain on the outside, but that doesn’t mean its not there.
So, next time I’m on the beach, you’d better believe I will stay on the beaten path. When the journey seems long and arduous, God promises to carry me!