The sun was bright, hot, and harsh. Seeing the path ahead was difficult as I walked straight into the light. I thought I could do it even as I planned for the unknown obstacles that could trip me up with my next steps. A sitting area was an inviting break. In the shade, I realised I could see ahead; there was a path forward, and I could walk knowing the way.
In the shade then, and as I look towards the day ahead, life is taking the opening and changing it before my eyes. With each whisper, there is a lesson and guide that I can use to see more clearly. It is an opening that comes with my willingness to let Divinity unlock what I can see and do.
I am not in this alone. I do not need to take on the elements all by myself. Help and support are all around me. Metaphorical shelters provide shade and new opportunities to prepare for what lies ahead. One writer reminds me that “Jesus has cleared the way by the blood of his sacrifice, acting as our priest before God.” (Hebrews 10.20) Work has been and is being done on my behalf. Realising I am part of something larger than myself, I find myself out in the open, stronger and more stable than I imagined.
I can be better than I am. By slowing down to listen, reflect, and learn, I create the possibility of being more intentional in my words and actions. This process can be tricky, even painful, because it involves seeing myself and others in a truth-filled mirror. The journey to being a better man begins with my belief in the possible. It continues with beliefs becoming action. It is sustainable when my desire to make a difference links what is within to what is without.
Opportunities matter. Yes, it is hot. Yes, it is difficult to see what is ahead. Yes, I can step out, caring to make a difference. My story told as I take my freedom into action and words.
