The Narrow Road

As I anticipated our summer jaunt to the mountains, my mind went to thoughts of fresh air, quiet stillness, and unadulterated nature. While I have experienced all, it is not in these refreshments that I have heard God speak the loudest as I had expected. The glory and majesty of God is evident from the pine-covered peaks to the rushing rivers below. He speaks to me through the beauty of His nature, and it revives my soul. But it is during the journey up and down the mountain each day that He and I have had our greatest conversations.

It takes approximately eight minutes one way on a narrow, gravel road up or down the mountain. During these eight minutes, one must wind one’s way back and forth, carefully navigating the sharp switchbacks and avoiding the unprotected edges of the roadway. When I am driving, I am in control and too busy concentrating on the roadway to talk much with God. But when I am a passenger, I surrender my safety into the hands of another and find myself talking incessantly to Him. Why? Fear. Fear of surrender. Fear of not being in control. Fear of accident, injury, even death. As I have dialogued with Him about this, I realize how strikingly similar this is to my everyday life. When I retain control, I often don’t take time to converse with Him in prayer. Perhaps I am too busy concentrating on the drive. Perhaps I am too confident in my own abilities to feel it is necessary or even beneficial to talk with Him. But when I have no control over a situation, such as the illness of a loved one, the choices of a family member, or the like, I run to Him in prayer seeking His help. But is my running to Him a result of my love for Him, my respect for Him, my longing to follow Him? Or is it a result of my fear? Rather than running to Him in moments of panic, I should desire to consistently surrender to my loving Father and His perfect plans. Rather than fearing lack of control, I should rest in the assurance of His control over all things. Rather than worrying about disaster, I should be at peace knowing that nothing can separate me from His eternal love for me, not even death.

How often I wind my way back and forth along the narrow road of life. He expects me to navigate my way carefully and avoid danger. But He also expects me to trust Him and His sovereignty during every minute of the journey, at every turn and in every situation. Tonight we ascended uphill during a rainstorm. About halfway up, in the dark of night, we found ourselves in the midst of a dense cloud of fog. My fear doubled in an instant. My prayers intensified exponentially. Rather than discuss with God, the urgency of the moment led me to pray one simple prayer—“Lord, please lift this fog.” That was all I could pray. There was no lengthy discourse, no conversation, and no argument over control, just a simple prayer of desperate faith, knowing that only God could lift the fog and restore our vision for the road home. This moment was a meeting of fear and faith. I could not stand in my self-confidence, nor stagger in my fear. I could only sit immediately at His feet, surrender to His control and trust Him. Miraculously, within minutes of my letting go of fear and trusting in Him, the fog lifted. What a lesson! How I need to let go of both control and fear, and let God lead me every minute of every day. Rather than retaining control, or fearing the lack of it, I must trust in His sovereignty. It is only then that He can lift the fog and restore my vision, so I can see clearly the way to my heavenly home.

""On your way," said Jesus. "Your faith has saved and healed you." In that very instant he recovered his sight and followed Jesus down the road." (Mark 10:52, MSG)