The Trail Mix called Life

Trail mix, that salty, sweet, crunchy, soft mix of various nuts, raisins, papaya bits, and dried banana, is a favorite snack. Sometimes I just pour a handful and eat it all together, which  creates a swirl of flavors. Sometimes I pour the bag into my hand and sort the peanuts, the dried fruit, and the raisins just to enjoy them separately.

It’s been a trail mix kind of week for me spiritually and emotionally. There were some sweet victories and some moments of salty tears. There were moments of deep sorrow offset by bursts of delight. This is fairly common to the human experience, especially for those who live fully engaged with others, who are passionate about God and His purposes.  The constant through it all is the Presence of God! "Though the Lord gave you adversity for food and suffering for drink, he will still be with you to teach you. You will see your teacher with your own eyes. Your own ears will hear him. Right behind you a voice will say, “This is the way you should go,” whether to the right or to the left. Then you will destroy all your silver idols and your precious gold images. You will throw them out like filthy rags, saying to them, “Good riddance!” (Isaiah 30:20-22, NLT) When adversity is allowed by your Father, remember He uses it to create a new readiness to receive Him.

If He fed us a steady diet of sweetness, we would soon grow spiritually fat and complacent. But, when He lets us taste the salt of our tears, we need to look to Him with renewed desire. When adverse times appear to have trapped you, don’t despair. Don’t lash out in bitterness. Don’t rush desperately to ‘fix it.’  Instead, listen carefully.  He promises to guide- not necessarily back to wide, smooth highways- but always nearer to His heart and towards our Home with Him. "Comfort, comfort my people, says your God. … A voice of one calling: “In the desert prepare the way for the Lord; make straight in the wilderness a highway for our God. …And the glory of the Lord will be revealed, and all mankind together will see it. For the mouth of the Lord has spoken.” (Isaiah 40:1,3,5, NIV)

Are you ready to receive His gifts today?

Are you willing to let Him prepare you to be one in whom His glory is revealed?

Father in Heaven, thank you for the

Sweetness and the salty tears!

I am listening now, intently waiting

For your voice to lead me.

Point out the idols that corrupt my worship.

Purify my heart, that I might have

Just one holy passion-

To know You, to love You,

To let Your glory shine from my life.

Jesus, You are my Savior,

"your kingdom come,
your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
Forgive us our debts,

as we also have forgiven our debtors.
And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from the evil one.’ (Matthew 6:10-13, NIV)