By RaeLynn DeAngelis
The sand on Hilton Head Island, South Carolina is dense and compact, perfect for riding bikes along the ocean’s shoreline. Our family decided to take a long bike ride to the town square where there were shops, restaurants, and even a family friendly water fountain, ideal for cooling down in the southern heat.
Biking up the beach was a straight shot (the quickest route to our destination). But once we began peddling, resistance from the strong winds kept blowing against us, and we were getting tired fast. We peddled with all our might but seemed to move at a snail’s pace. What was supposed to be an enjoyable bike ride quickly turned unpleasant. My heaving lungs reached full capacity while my legs felt like limp noodles. At the rate we were traveling, it would take us all day to reach our destination.
Under much duress, we made the impromptu decision to exit the beach using a hotel access ramp so we could travel along the paved bike path instead. Surely the homes and buildings would shield us from the strong winds that were hindering our progress.
It seemed like a good plan. Unfortunately, the only way to get to the main bike path was to follow the road back to our hotel. We actually had to backtrack before moving forward.
It was quickly becoming a journey to nowhere! The road curved in and out so much that it seemed like forever just to get back to our original starting point. We eventually made it to the town square, but it took us a full two hours to get there.
“I guide you in the way of wisdom and lead you along straight paths” (Proverbs 4:11).
Do you ever feel like you’re traveling through life with so much resistance that it’s wearing you down? You keep trying to move forward, but it seems there’s always something working against you. Perhaps you’re tempted to get off the beaten path and take an easier route instead.
Like our little biking expedition, just because another way appears easier doesn’t mean it is. Honestly, we wasted a lot of time backtracking that day. We could have reached our destination much faster if we had just persevered against the wind and continued moving forward. In fact, we later learned that we were more than halfway to our destination when we had given up and changed routes.
If you are at a place where you’re feeling discouraged, ready to give up and take another route, I encourage you to go before the Lord in prayer and ask for His direction. If He makes it clear that you are on the right path, hang in there. God is with you. He will travel ahead to clear your path and provide much needed strength when you grow weary.
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart
and lean not on your own understanding;
in all your ways submit to him,
and he will make your paths straight” (Proverbs 3:5-6).
“Listen, my son, and be wise, and keep your heart on the right path” (Proverbs 23:19).
Don’t lose hope. You are almost there!
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