Running Barefoot on the Stones

Running Barefoot on the Stones

When I was a little kid, I use to take off down the stone lane, running the whole way, with no shoes on. People would always watch us sprinting in the grass then hitting the stones and not slowing down one bit. Whether it was soft and comfortable or hard and jagged, it just didn't matter, our feet could take anything.

I always remember the first day of summer though, and how it really hurt to step on the stones. It took many days to build up a toughness that could conquer any rock! By the end of summer, the bottom of our feet looked like a piece of leather. Something we were mighty proud of.

As an adult, I now get to watch my kids do the same thing! I am pretty sure that my little man could step on a nail and not have it puncture the skin at all, simply because his skin is so tough!

It doesn't faze him a bit! But you know what?... It now fazes me.

I don't want to build up a tolerance for rocks…I instead, slip on a pair of sandals every time I go outside. My feet are now sissified, I assure you, and you can see me doing a little dance across those stones, if I ever have to go without shoes.

Some of life's greatest challenges are extremely hard to accomplish. Sometimes what God asks me to do is just simply impossible in my eyes. It is at this point that I hit a crossroad. I have a choice whether or not I am going to get used to the hard stuff and actually get good at doing it, or am I forever going to bail out and not tackle anything that looks too difficult or challenging!

Sometimes God puts opportunities right in our laps. They aren't always fun and easy. I think in fact, a lot of times, they are completely out of my comfort zone! But if we never try anything with God as our power source, we will never do anything more than what we are doing right now. Is that o.k. with you?

I think that God wants us to tackle these challenges like we should tackle the gravel…with bare feet! I believe that He gives us opportunities to grow and change, but without pain, this can sometimes be impossible! The more that we say "yes" to Him and His challenges, the tougher our "feet" get. The more we have to walk through difficult challenges, the stronger and more confident we get in saying YES to Him every time He asks us to do something!

God says in Joshua 1:9

"Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go."

 

There is nothing to fear when it comes to walking with the Lord. You can't fear the seasons of change, or the times that He is molding you. If you fear, you will be frozen. You will find yourself either standing on the porch, or walking with shoes on. Either way, you will miss out on the change God is wanting for you!

 What is stopping you from being the person God is calling you to be? It may hurt at first…but the more and more you say yes…the easier it will be to say it the next time too!

Is there something in your life that you know is holding you back? Trust God when He says that He will never leave you. That means that He will walk beside you every single step of every single day! You may feel like you can't do what He is asking, and to be honest, by yourself, you can't! But with HIM and His Power…it is impossible to fail! Step out on those stones and allow God to mold you into the person He wants! Say YES to whatever He is asking of you TODAY and every Day! Pain is always temporary…the prize… now that is forever!