Climbing out of the pit of despair was not easy. I am exhausted, battered and bruised. The ground feels loose and slippery…or is it my wobbling, tired legs? I can’t tell. Out of breath, in disbelief, I am… free.
I had been clawing my way up the crumbling walls of this pit. This pit was cruel. It would allow me to climb a few meters, taunt me with just enough hope to push a little harder, reach a little further…then throw me back down deeper into its dark abyss. The intensity of this struggle clarified an important truth:
Calling and Purpose are not synonymous.
The Calling is a call to action, a call to move, a call to faith. It’s not a vision or a mission. It’s a step of faith into the unknown; a declaration of trust of the One who calls forth.
I realized I had fixed my eyes and attention on the destination, rather than my fellow traveler, advocate, and guide who called me out with a promise to be with me through it all.
I was excited about the adventure and ran ahead of Him, only to get lost. I didn’t see the hazards and roadblocks or the pit I would fall into. But fortunately, He never lost sight of me. It seems as if he allowed me to struggle and fail to prepare me for the challenging path ahead.
And when I felt helpless and hopeless, He reached his hand down and helped me climb out of that pit; the pit of despair. He sets my feet on solid ground and again, as many times before, He calls me onward with these two simple words:
“Follow Me.”
