It was a good day for a hike. Blue skies. Temps not yet in triple digits. A light breeze. I felt the familiar pull on my legs and lungs as I pulled myself up the trail.
Then I heard it. A voice in the distance.
Someone was way off track. Out in the desert off the trail. It’s not where you want to be. Cactus and snakes are real threats. Risky business when in the rough.
The hiker behind me coaxed them back to the path. Then pointed up ahead.
“Look for the white dots. Follow them. They’ll keep you on the trail.”
There are certain parts of the trail on Black Mountain that are confusing and misleading. If you’re not sure of yourself a wrong decision quickly takes you off course. In those areas there are white dots spray painted on the black rocks to assist the hikers. They’ll keep your focus on the simplest and safest way to the top.
A dot to dot game of sorts.
As a child I had a book full of them. A favorite activity of mine. Just find and follow the dots in numerical order. Simple enough. And the prize was a drawing of something far better than I could ever have scribbled up myself.
If only life were that simple. But it’s not.
And it’s not supposed to be.
In the real-life game of connect-the-dots we are set up for success. It’s just a little harder to play.
The dots are everywhere. There to guide us. And they come in all shapes and sizes. They are people, places and things. Some dots are visible, while others are felt.
And it’s up to us to recognize them.
A friend who reaches out. A beautiful sunset. Scriptures that come alive. A little bird. Lyrics to a song. A quiet tug on your heart to act.
Dots which communicate to your heart and soul at a spiritual level. All dots intentionally placed in your life to keep you on the path. A path which leads to a higher place.
Sure … you can march right past them. Not give a second look. Bush whack your own trail. Fight your way through the rough. All steps will eventually take you to the top.
But the marked trail is the simplest, the safest, and ultimately, a place of greater peace and joy.
Life is busy and complicated and distracting. The key is positioning yourself to recognize communication from Him.
Messages of hope meant specifically for you.
Messages which say – you’re on the right track. And you’re not alone.
God won’t move the mountain. But He will help you climb it.
One dot at a time.