Obstacles Abound

Have you even found that each step forward brings with it new obstacles and challenges?

It shall be said, "Build up, build up, prepare the way, remove every obstruction from my people's way." For thus says the high and lofty one who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy: I dwell in the high and holy place, and also with those who are contrite and humble in spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite. For I will not continually accuse, nor will I always be angry; for then the spirits would grow faint before me, even the souls that I have made. Because of their wicked covetousness I was angry; I struck them, I hid and was angry; but they kept turning back to their own ways. I have seen their ways, but I will heal them; I will lead them and repay them with comfort, creating for their mourners the fruit of the lips. Peace, peace, to the far and the near, says the Lord; and I will heal them. But the wicked are like the tossing sea that cannot keep still; its waters toss up mire and mud. There is no peace, says my God, for the wicked. - Isaiah 57:14-21

Sometimes the obstacles are there by our own doing.  When that happens, we can take a step back and look at what we have done clearly.  What we have done, we can undo.  We can return or move on, angry and frustrated only with ourselves.

But when the obstacles are placed there by someone else, the game changes.

Then we become judges, expecting those who screwed up to fix it.  This is not my doing, we say, and we cross our arms, stomp our feet and stand firm, offering no help, no patience.

We would probably be more likely to help a total stranger struggling with a similar problem, than to lift a finger to help the one who caused our problem resolve it.

And what would we do, if the one who caused us grief should come to us and ask us to help?

If we choose to be like God, perhaps through our anger, we might find an ounce of grace and choose to forgive, heal and move on.

But, alas, we are not like God, even though we may say we would like to be.

For us, all we see are the obstacles placed by others.

More to come...