Yesterday I visited a beautiful walking trail. The path was clearly defined, making it an easy route. After walking a brief while, I noticed a clump of mud caked on the edge of my boot, likely leftover from our weekend trip to get our annual Christmas tree.
I scraped my boot against the smooth grass multiple times, but it didn't remove the mud. Then I stepped into the rougher section next to the easy path, an area riddled with reeds matted to the ground and low, weedy jagger bushes. With one definitive boot-scraping swipe on that surface, the mud was gone.
I'd like if there were no life lessons embedded in this story. I'd love to report that my current life paths are all easy and smooth. But that's not quite true. As soon as I saw that mud removed -- that exact moment the ugly clump dislodged itself when I applied some rough friction -- I sensed God's nudging:
Robin, the rough paths you walk often do the best job of cleaning you up.
The current struggles I'm facing? They're not for nothing. Hard times have a way of developing faith and building fortitude. I'll be honest: I like smooth, easy paths. But when I have to walk rougher ones, then I pray God will let them do the important work of removing some crud from my life.
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