Over the past two days, I’ve gone hiking up the Chipinque Mountain here in Monterrey. Yesterday and today’s experience of hiking this mountain was a contrast of each other. Yesterday, I went by myself, it was wonderful, I enjoyed myself but it took me about 3 odd hours to get up and back down again. Yesterday, I followed the road, it was safe but it was windy and was like walking up a snakes and ladders map. The road literally was shaped like an ‘S’ going all the way up. It was a safe way up but it was the longest way I could have gone. Going up took me 1 and a half hours. Last night, having a conversation with the people hosting me, I told them that I went up Chipinque this morning and it took me a really long time. The wife started laughing and said, Oh, we are going up tomorrow and we were going to invite you to come with us. I replied saying that I would love to go with them. So, this morning, we set off bright eyed and bushy tailed to start this adventure again. We get to the mountain, the husband and son get out and they asked if I was going to come with them. Knowing the journey and time it took me to get up yesterday, and my legs still feeling bit tired from walking 15km yesterday, I opted for a lift up in the car as the guys wife was going to drive up.
The wife, their daughter and I we get to the top and we go for a walk of our own, I’m thinking, we not going to see these guys for a few hours. About an hour into our walk, the wife says, we need to go back, they are at the car. I said, what?! How can they be up already, they can’t be, they must have got a lift up with some one, I was in total disbelief that they could make it up so quick!! When it came to the time for us to leave, the husband asked me if I was going to go down with them or go down in the car. I quickly said I’d go with him and his son. I want see this route that they came up on. So, we set off on our way down. It was bit of a run and lots of “jumping” going down steps and some very rugged terrain. This was a very different experience for me in contrast to yesterday. Yesterday, I went the best way I thought I should go, it looked safe, it was a road, every now and then a cyclist would come down the road or come from behind me going up, or a car would come from either direction.
The funny thing about this story is on both days, the starting and finish points were the same, exactly the same, just one difference. On one day, I did it and went my way, the way I thought was best, the other day, I followed a guy who had been on a different path, this guy knew another way, and this way was much quicker and also more adventurous, you got to see more of the inner parts of the mountain as apposed to the view from the road. The view from the road wasn’t bad, you just wouldn’t see the more detailed parts of the mountain. In walking and doing life with God, just about every day is a school day with Holy Spirit. When we do things our way, we may have the same starting and end point, being born and we die. What happens in between is completely different. When we do things our way, we can make progress, we can do things well, we be successful and be proud of ourselves for getting through life and reaching certain milestones. God was showing me the contrast of doing life with Him and doing things my way. When I do things my way, yes, I may reach my desired destination, but it took me a really long time. When I trusted and followed my friend, I got to enjoy the journey, didn’t have to worry about where to go, I just followed him and we got to our destination, and we got there a lot quicker and it was more fun doing it with him than it was being alone.
The moral of the story as we grow in trusting God and walking with Holy Spirit, it takes the pressure off of us as we lean into Him and chose to trust Him and enjoy the journey, as He knows where we ought to go, when and how. I have personally been stressed and anxious about what “tomorrow” looks like. I am ‘homeless’ to a degree, I’m not homeless in the sense of not having some where to sleep, I am homeless as in I don’t have a home of my own. I am mindful of the fact that some amazing people have been kid enough to allow me to stay in their home while I’m on my travels, of getting to know Jesus more intimately and deeper while He uses me to heal the sick. Oh what it must be like to be a child again, to just lean into our papa and let Him do what He does best. What is weighing you down? What is a burden on your shoulders that you are tired and weary of carrying?! Give it to Jesus, go on, just imagine yourself being like a child again and just imagine all the burdens and worries being taken off your shoulders and your Father taking care of them. This isn’t being logical, or rational, how many of you have heard someone’s mother or father say, would you just grow up, get your head out of the clouds? I’m sure there are a good few of you who have had that.
I really believe God is calling many of us to let go and hand over all the cares, worries and stresses of this life to our Father, trust Him. Let Him guide you, let His Spirit lead and direct you. He will lead you into all truth, He is a lamp unto your feet, He will help you get rid of all that is hindering and holding you back, if you will let Him. Will you let Him?
Will you let go, and let Him lead you, take you on an adventure, take you down a different path, if that is the direction He wants you to go, will you be brave enough to allow Him to lead you down a different path? I didn’t have a clue where I was going this morning, I just enjoyed the journey and followed my friend.
Holy Spirit is wanting to be a our friend, and wants to help you and me in our every day events.
What adventure is awaiting you?!
