Sitting here today, just thinking back on the ups and downs of my journey thus far. I have a picture stuck in my head of a huge map with pin points all along the path. It's exciting to look back and see all the places I've been. It isn't until I look closely though that I realize the only places with pin points seem to be the places in my life I have no desire to return to and would give almost anything to forget.
Under each pin point is a small scrap of paper with a single word written on it. I start to read each one...pride, lust, control, jealousy, bitterness, profanity, idleness...I can't go on...in my shame I fall to my knees and cry out to my Lord, "Why must you torment me like this, why have you chosen to pin point only the lowest points of my life?" He just smiles, puts His hand on my shoulder and says "Come...walk with Me."
He leads me down a long and familiar road full of rolling hills. As we near the top of the first hill I look ahead and notice standing there a single cross. He asks "Do you remember this place?" I answer rather sheepishly "Yes, I think I do, only it appears much different than I recall." He smiles and leads me on. This scenario repeats itself on each subsequent hill until finally we reach a stopping point. At this time once again He asks "Do you now recognize the places we have been?" Somewhat confused I reply " Yes, but I don't understand I always thought these were the lowest points of my life, why do they each now appear on a hilltop with a cross" The answer comes "My son, what you see as the low points in your life are what I see as the highest points, because it was in these times you called on my Son and received deliverance from the things of this world which had entrapped you. As for the crosses those were the pinpoints on the map which pierced through all of your wrongdoings and sins. When I look at the map I do not see the paper, only the pinpoint."
Under each pin point is a small scrap of paper with a single word written on it. I start to read each one...pride, lust, control, jealousy, bitterness, profanity, idleness...I can't go on...in my shame I fall to my knees and cry out to my Lord, "Why must you torment me like this, why have you chosen to pin point only the lowest points of my life?" He just smiles, puts His hand on my shoulder and says "Come...walk with Me."
He leads me down a long and familiar road full of rolling hills. As we near the top of the first hill I look ahead and notice standing there a single cross. He asks "Do you remember this place?" I answer rather sheepishly "Yes, I think I do, only it appears much different than I recall." He smiles and leads me on. This scenario repeats itself on each subsequent hill until finally we reach a stopping point. At this time once again He asks "Do you now recognize the places we have been?" Somewhat confused I reply " Yes, but I don't understand I always thought these were the lowest points of my life, why do they each now appear on a hilltop with a cross" The answer comes "My son, what you see as the low points in your life are what I see as the highest points, because it was in these times you called on my Son and received deliverance from the things of this world which had entrapped you. As for the crosses those were the pinpoints on the map which pierced through all of your wrongdoings and sins. When I look at the map I do not see the paper, only the pinpoint."
- But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong. II Corinthians 12:9-10
