Path Blind
Thanks to Febreze commercials we’ve learned about going nose blind. But path blind? All it took for me was a bike, a path with shadows and some sun to learn from creation. This particular day, this summer, was exceptionally nice because two new friends from Orchard Hill had invited my husband and I to bike with them at some place new. It didn’t take long to discover this state park was special and provided a wonderfully smooth, heavily tree lined, 12-mile path around its beautiful lake. Perfect for a hot day.
Out of courtesy for others on the path, we decided to bike single file. Our friends led. We followed. Rolling up and down the paved hills, flashes of cooling shadows with intermittent breaks of light came at a rapid pace.
All was good and glorious until BAM!
Blinding brilliance so bright, I WAS path blind. All the beauty in front of me was gone. And it lasted so much longer than I was comfortable with. I fought to keep my eyes open and with no better choice, knowing I was in the midst of immediate active surrender of trust, I kept my wheels rolling. Any sudden change would certainly force my husband to crash into me who was close behind. Then as quickly as it flashed blindness, DING!
The shadow area returned, helping my eyes adjust, restoring my visuals. I could see our friends ahead of us rolling along without any trouble at a pace that continued safely. Relief and peace quietly flowed through me. But this happened over and over. Until it sank in. Fear. Trust. Relief. Fear. Trust. Relief. Amid the ups and downs of life, path blind came unannounced through periods of shadows and brilliance.
I thought about Psalm 36:7 “How priceless is your unfailing love, O God! People take refuge in the shadow of your wings.” How wonderful that our God provides shade and refuge to help see our path of safety as we lay our trust in Him.
I thought about the many uncomfortable times when all I wanted to do was close my eyes to His brilliance because I was so unsure of what would lie ahead. Or the times I’ve chosen to brake, trying to take control of the situation only to end up in a crash collision. If I know ahead of time that trusting in Him is the best choice, I can rest in His refuge and avoid the pain that comes with going my own way.
And if I know with confidence that my best response is to actively choose to trust in His great brilliance, follow His plan and path, I’ll have a better visual of the bigger picture. The more hills, shadows and blinding brilliance I experience, the greater confidence I’ll have that His priceless unfailing love will take me through anything and everything the next time I become path blind.