Steps And Potholes

Driving on the roads this time of year is like driving on an obstacle course.
The winter freeze, followed by a bit of thawing, wreak havoc on the roads.
This is the time of year for potholes.
I do not mean small indentations; I mean actual holes in the road.

Some potholes are deceiving after if rains or the snow melts.
The potholes that could easily be seen become filled with water.
Some unsuspecting driver will feel as if they have been swallowed up.
It is a broken axle waiting to happen.

When you know the roads, you know where the potholes are.
Sometimes.
You drive over or around small potholes.
However, without warning, you will find yourself face to face with what looks like a crater.

I feel sorry for the road crews.
I do not know how they determine where to begin.
I have heard the number for the pothole hotline on news radio.
They encourage drivers to report the dangerous potholes that drivers may not know about.

Often, one driver will follow another.
If you see the car in front of you swerve a bit, you can be assured they saw a pothole.
In another month, the roads will look like Swiss cheese in places.
Drivers are always so grateful when the potholes are repaired.

I thought about potholes.
I thought about swerving around them.
I thought of being warned so I could avoid them.
I thought of the many times, I came upon them unexpectedly and felt the jolt.

My son and his fiancé went to the Eagles Super Bowl parade.
We all received some pictures from the day.
It was not until the next day, in a text from his fiance, that I learned how far they walked.
It was pretty exhausting; we walked 18,339 steps!

I did the math.
When I walk two miles, it is over 4,000 steps.
Using that as my guide, they walked almost 9 miles.
They walked from the train station to their spot on the parade route, then to the Art Museum.

I am not obsessed with the number of steps I walk.
However, I do like to see that I have walked 10,000 steps.
Some days I make that goal; some days I fall short.
When we visited our son in DC, I walked almost 14,000 steps visiting the monuments.

It is not hard to do when you have a destination.
If I was on a treadmill, I would dread every step.
When I am actually outside, looking at things in the fresh air, it goes by fast.
Counting steps and maneuvering around potholes makes for interesting days.

And it shall be said, “Build up, build up, prepare the way, remove every obstruction from my people’s way.” (Isaiah 57:14)

We have potholes to avoid as we journey through this life.
We have temptations.
We have choices.
We have decisions about which is better or best.

The enemy enjoys throwing a few potholes in our way.
Some spiritual pothole may come upon us without warning.
Some spiritual potholes will be seen because we learn from someone who walked before us.
Some spiritual potholes will be unseen and we will go right in.

There are consequences for going in a spiritual pothole.
We were walking along just fine and then we sink.
We, like a car with a broken axle, may walk away with a limp.
With God’s help, we can walk away.

We learn through the Holy Spirit how to maneuver around the potholes.
We learn through God’s Word how to avoid them completely.
If we go through life on autopilot, we are bound to go into a spiritual pothole or two.
If we go through life aware and leaning on the Lord for direction, we will reach our destination.

A person’s steps are directed by the LORD. How then can anyone understand their own way? (Proverbs 20:24)

We walk each day either with God or without Him.
Even if we begin the day with Him, distractions or defiance on our part can dismiss Him.
We may count our steps but every step is directed by the Lord.
There is so much freedom in that kind of walking.

It is not a matter of how many steps we take.
It is a matter of how many steps we take with Him.
Steps without Him will never lead us to our destination.
Steps with Him will lead us Home.

Steps and potholes are things we have to consider on our spiritual journey.
Only with the Holy Spirit as our guide will we walk wisely.
The potholes are there but we have a Guide who is with us all the time.
The Holy Spirit will make sure that every step counts.

Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, “This is the way; walk in it.” (Isaiah 30:21)

Thank you, Holy Spirit, for Your direction.
Help me to follow You willingly.
Guide me around the potholes and make every step count.
In Jesus’ name. Amen.