My voice You shall hear in the morning, O LORD; In the morning I will direct it to You, And I will look up. Psalm 5:2
Does hiking the Swiss Alps sound like an exciting adventure? Two nights ago, Ken and I considered the prospects of doing this, as we read together a magazine article about five women who had successfully hiked more than 60 miles in the Swiss Alps. On the first day of their hike they learned one of life’s most important lessons: Look up!
After hiking 20 minutes on what seemed to them the “obvious trail,” a Swiss hiker redirected them back to the main trail. After making this blunder they stated, “We’d been studying the footpath so closely to avoid tripping on rocks and roots that we’d missed seeing the marker.” They admitted that because their gaze was downward rather than upward, they had walked right past a “tall pole with a clearly marked yellow sign” telling them which way they needed to travel to reach their destination.
Has the “rocks and roots”- the problems and difficulties of life – captured your attention to such a degree that you have missed God’s sign posts which will lead you to your God-given destination, to the future and hope God has given you in Christ? King David, like each one of us, found himself in this place on a number of occasions. He stated in Psalm 40:12, “For innumerable evils (troubles) have surrounded me: My iniquities have overtaken me, so that I am not able to look up…therefore my heart fails me.”
King David was emotionally honest with God and with himself. Being honest with yourself and with God, especially when you are feeling downcast and “unable to look up,” is often one of the first steps towards getting back on the right path – to hearing God’s voice and to recommitting yourself once again to “look up.”
The five hikers knew that things were not right; they knew they were not seeing the expected trail markers. So when the “Swiss hiker” came along, they were ready to listen and ready to be redirected towards the main trail, the trail which would let them fulfill their decades-long dream.
Have you found yourself looking down lately? Feeling depressed, discouraged, hopeless, sad or feeling like giving up on yourself or life itself? Share your thoughts and feelings with God. Then, begin to listen to His voice – His Words of mercy, compassion, forgiveness, acceptance, and healing – redirecting your footsteps back to Him.
Let Psalm 5:2 become a reality in your life. Direct your prayers to God early in the morning and declare over your own soul no matter what you are facing, “I will look up.”
In Christ’s compassion and love,
Sue Burdullis
Director of CHR
PS If the “rocks and roots” – the troubles and difficulties of life – have captured your attention, you are invited to schedule a prayer session with us. God often uses our prayer teams like He did the “Swiss hiker.” Click here to schedule a session. (See below)