Muddy Mistakes

I waited patiently for the Lord; he turned to me and heard my cry. He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; he set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand. He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see and fear and put their trust in the Lord.
Psalms 40:1-3

Rainy Spring mornings. The trails have become a puzzle. Each time I go out for a walk I try to figure out a way around the puddles and soggy patches. It’s hard to tell, sometimes a seemingly solid patch will suck at my sneakers and I end up getting very muddy.

It can be like this when I navigate a path through temptations in my life, the way round gets confused, I get sucked in and end up slogging through the mud.

As I walked a trail today I was surprised to see so many footprints in the muddiest parts of the path. Can’t they see how squishy it is? Why would anyone prefer to sink into the mud when there is a perfectly good alternative route? One look at the mud on my sneakers tells me sometimes the choices are not so easy.

Sometimes every direction looks solid and I step out confidently, “I know what I’m doing. I know where I’m going. This is the right way.” And before I know it I’m sinking.

I get unstuck faster and clean up sooner if I admit my mistake and hop on the rock I know is not going anywhere, God. Sometimes my path becomes muddled. I try to find the solid spots but I miss and get stuck in the muck. Admitting my mistakes, anchoring again to Christ and pulling myself out is the best way to break free and clean up.

Posted 4/5/2006 @ 3:54 PM | Weekly Thoughts