Walking by streams as they carve out valleys

We often make a habit of looking forward, both in hoping for things to come, and when fearing the unknown, the threat of a looming storm. As we walk with God, we often cast our minds forward, seeking what he has in store for us.

The same can be true of churches- thinking about our vision, our values and our mission.

But what is the place of pause and reflection in our lives? We tend to give it less time, especially in seasons where we are driving forward toward a goal.

The scriptures have a lot to say about pause and meditation, saying things like “meditate daily on the Word”, and “if anything is excellent, think about such things”, or “be still and know that I am God”. It is clear God wants us to spend time with himself and his good gifts in mind. But I think he also wants us to take the time to reflect on the work he has done in our lives that we may not have perceived in the moment.

Unlike hoping for what is to come, reflection is about looking back. And when we look back, particularly from a place of strength or comfort, we tend to see a bigger picture, or at the very least, a new perspective.

When we are climbing on a mountainside, we see the rock and the footholds and grips we hope will hold us as we push higher. We smell the grass, the cold alpine air, we hear the rush of gusts of wind as we cling tightly with cold fingers and then we hear the crunch of stone under our boots when we continue on.

But when we reach the peak and look back along the path we’ve walked, we see far more of the landscape we journeyed through.

Did you know that great valleys are carved out by streams of water? But when we walk by them and hear the trickle of water we do not perceive it. Even when the rush of water is great, we see the rapids, the bursts of light dancing in the glints of a turbulent current, and the sudden movement out of sight of leaves and branches carried along, but we don’t see the mountain disappear in tow.

Likewise, when life is difficult, it can be hard to see God’s hand guiding our steps, and harder still to see his purpose in the trials and tribulations we endure.

Walking with God is like walking by streams as they carve out valleys. We don’t necessarily see the purpose. There’s often pain in the process. But what a beautiful picture emerges when the work is done.

When we make a practice of looking back, we shift our focus from the pain of the moment, and we start to see the ways God was there all along, weaving the thread of a tapestry we’re yet to understand.

When we reflect back on what God is doing, we have a chance to perceive his presence in a beautiful way. When we set our eyes on Him, instead of our pain, our lives start to reflect Him, and his image that we bear, all the more.

And if we make a habit of looking back, we strengthen the muscle that perceives- and tune our minds to see Him more easily. We might even catch his hand in the moment, when trials are greatest, darkness prevails, and hope appears to have failed. And we will see all those answered prayers we might otherwise have missed.

Because we are not alone. We are never alone. There is nowhere we can go where the hand of the Lord won’t follow his sheep. Those who are his will know his voice. Let’s practice listening out for it always.

Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go.

~ Joshua 1:9