Have you ever felt like even when you’ve tried so hard, you just can’t succeed?
Whether it’s a hope to be kinder to family, a personal resolution, or just a sincere desire to slow down, have you ever felt you’ve “blown” it?
You know you’ll try, but fail miserably again.
Today was one of those days for me.
But as we drove through the hillsides and valleys, through horses, cattle and chickens, it suddenly dawned on me-
- when we started the drive, we had a plan.
Yet during our journey, everything kept pushing us off course. Potholes, road works, smoke, stray goats, oblivious cows, wandering horses. In fact, if we had charted a precise road path at the very start using a thin red line on a map, I’d dare say we were off course most of the time.
Yet, Jabulani (the grandfatherly driver, whose name means “Happy”) just kept adjusting his path. Steering the wheel a little over here, a little over there. Stopping once to check on his tyres because it was making a strange sound, how glad were we to find, that it was the perfect picture opportunity amidst a breathtaking backdrop!
Ultimately we reached our destination- a lackluster town. Then it hit me- that we’d been encouraged to take this road not so much because of the destination, but the journey it took us on.
If you, like me, feel as though you’re “off track” most of the time, know this-
If you see the small adjustments you make along the way not as failures but acts of resilience, you’ll eventually reach your destination.
But above all, like Jabulani (“Happy”), would you enjoy the journey? Would you savor the sights and sounds? Let not the goal, however good, overshadow your process.
Today, with tears flowing from a breaking heart, I’m telling myself not to be so hard on me.
Be encouraged, my friend. You haven’t screwed up. God’s plans are bigger than our foibles.
We will get there.
