Hard Journeys

"This journey is hard." 

My uncle, my mom, and I were in town after visiting my great-grandmother. Mom had gone into Taco Bell to get something for us to eat and my uncle and I were waiting in the car. Uncle Mark and Mom had been talking about serious matters and he remarked, "Oh, Bekah, when you're young it's so much easier to change paths." Then under his breath he muttered, "This journey is hard." 

Yes, the journey of life can be hard. But it's kind of like breaking a path through the deep snow. It's tough going, but when someone else has gone before you and you follow in their footsteps, it's easier. The Lord never promised this life would be easy, but He did promise to go before us and break the path, so to speak. When we walk in the path He has for us, He takes the brunt of the work and the majority of the pain and labor. It's when we strike out on our own that the going gets truly hard.

I want to stay in the footsteps of my Savior. Wherever He leads, I want to follow. Life is difficult, but a life lived contrary to God's plans for you is just plain miserable, in addition to being the hardest path of all. "...The way of transgressors is hard" Prov. 13:15. "But the path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day" Prov. 14:18.

My uncle's comment reminded me of one of the songs our choir director taught us this past year, called "Pathway of Hope." The words are by Joseph M. Martin.

The road is long, the way is narrow,

The path is steep, the mountains high.

Lord, when we walk through valleys filled with fear,

You wipe away our tears,

We know that You are near.

And when we stray, You are our Shepherd.

And when we fall, You give us grace.

When we are lost, You find us where we are,

You hold us to Your heart with everlasting arms.

Oh, Lord, You are the way, You are the journey;

Come walk beside us as we go.

Lord, You are the way, You are the journey;

You are our legacy, eternal destiny.

You are the pathway of hope.

Come join us faithful pilgrims,

We'll walk the road as one.

And when we've walked ten thousand years,

The journey will have just begun.

We'll walk with God, through every valley

We'll walk with God, through every storm.

And on the day our earthly walk is done, we'll sing before the throne:

"We've never walked alone!"

Oh, Lord, You are the way, You are the journey;

Come walk beside us as we go.

Lord, You are the way, You are the journey;

You are our legacy, eternal destiny.

You are the pathway of hope.