Last week my husband and I were climbing at one of our favorite climbing gyms, Zenith Climbing Center in Springfield Missouri. They had just set a bunch of new routes, making our rainy day visit even more enjoyable.
My husband came across a fun looking 5.8+ set in the corner of two walls. The climb looked technical and fun. As I looked at the holds spread out across a 90ish degree angle, and fun overhangs, I envisioned cool knee drops, lots of stemming and a few other acrobatics that would be required to make it to the top. While it looked technical, my husband and I were confident we’d send it.
Dave went first, and right away knew he had misjudged the beta. After a few tries he gave up and wanted to see me give it a go. I approached the climb confidently, thinking that my technical “skills” would make this climb a piece of cake.
Not so fast! I didn’t make it past the first move without flying off the wall. In fact, I had to cheat with a foot hold just to get started. From there I struggled and fought part way up before being lowered in utter shame and defeat. I seem to have had my share of routes that haven’t turned out as expected lately.
That got me thinking about a conversation I had with a friend of mine. She’s an amazing, godly woman and unbelievably strong climber. I see pictures of her on many amazing adventures and sometimes wish I had the same opportunities. As we talked, I was surprised to learn that she was feeling like something was missing in her life. She felt disconnected from God, and desperately wanted to be used by Him. She was running an outdoor education program at a university, doing a lot of the things she loved to do. I quickly pointed out that she had a tremendous opportunity to serve God and share the love of Christ every day. From the outside looking in, I could see she was exactly where God wanted her. The problem was, it didn’t look the way she expected. She was looking at the route ahead of her and misread the beta.
I don’t know about you, but I struggle with unmet expectations. We all have many goals and desires about how we want our lives to look. When life turns out differently, we suddenly feel as if we have failed. We look at our circumstances and wonder how we misread the beta or feel as if something is missing.
Sometimes life does throw us a curveball. We suffer loss, illness, trauma or hardship. We look at our circumstances and wonder where God is as we walk through our trial. We ask why and want desperately to escape the pain. It is difficult in those times to believe that God is with us, and will work through our struggles to help us grow. (See, “Thriving Through Adversity”)
“Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance.” – James 1: 2-3
Other times life may be going OK, but it feels like something is missing. Somehow life doesn’t look the way we planned. We are not in the career we dreamt of, we are not living in the home we thought we would have, or we haven’t yet found the man of our dreams. We see someone else’s life and wish it was ours. We want more out of our life and lack contentment with our current circumstances. In one way or another, life has not turned out as expected, and we want more.
Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful.” – Hebrews 10:23
We can choose to feel stuck in our circumstances, or trust God with the plans He has for our lives. He always has our very best in mind. We are precious, beloved, and cherished. His ways are not our ways. His plans, not our plans. It has been my experience that His plans are always the better option. Even when my life looks differently than expected.
“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord. “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts. – Isiah 55: 8-9
When I surrender and put my life in His hands, the beta is always spot on. When I can trust that He has His very best in mind for me, no matter my circumstances, contentment follows. With contentment, comes peace and a renewed passion for the life that is before me. With a content heart filled of passion, and our will surrendered to the hands of our loving Father, great things can be accomplished. We may discover new dreams we never thought to dream, and joy in places we never thought to look.
Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths. – Proverbs 3:5-6
I want to encourage you today to trust God with your life. Seek contentment and trust Him no matter your circumstances. Allow Him to use your life where you are today and see where He will take you tomorrow. Ask Him to make His desires for your life, your desires. Believe that He has the very best in mind for you, and that His beta will never fail.
Delight yourself also in the Lord, And He shall give you the desires of your heart. – Psalm 37:4
