Lucky Duck and the Path of Most Resistance

2 Corinthians 13 was this morning’s reading. I felt verse 5 needed further examination.

‘Examine yourselves to see if your faith is genuine. Test yourselves. Surely you know that Jesus Christ is among you; if not, you have failed the test of genuine faith. ‘
2 Corinthians 13:5

I can compare myself to others, and think I’m not doing too badly. But when I compare myself to Christ, or Paul, or any of the saints. Yeah, God has a lot of work left in me. But I think of some of the trials I’ve been through lately, and think, hey, I’m moving in the right direction. We were on a pretty good horse ride Saturday, and on a really steep hill, my horse zigged, I zagged, and my head caught a branch hard.

It sounded like someone thumped a coconut. I was gushing blood, but I didn’t get knocked off, lose my hat, or even utter a swear word. I’m making progress on the path to perfection through Christ Jesus. I wonder if my horse, Lucky Duck, could talk; he might have had some choice words for me choosing that path up that steep hill. Now I have a 3-inch scab on my forehead, and my friends are telling me I look like Harry Potter. I guess that’s better than looking like the name that shouldn’t be named.

Looking back, I realize things like these aren’t random problems; they are opportunities God uses to shape me and grow my faith. Even when things get rough or unexpected, like getting smacked by a branch, God is right there teaching me perseverance and helping me grow stronger in Him. I need to keep my eyes fixed on Jesus and maybe look ahead a bit better when I’m riding.