Our family just recently came home from a trip to North Carolina. Our main goal on this trip was to explore some of the many waterfalls hidden within the mountains.
On our first day, we started at Dry Falls, drove by Bridal Veil, and then decided we had one more adventure in us and headed to Glen Falls. Even though our poor Michigan legs were a bit tired from all of the uphill climbing, we had heard this was the falls we needed to see and we couldn’t wait.
The trail began with a fork to the right and to the left, but no sign telling us which way we should go. We chose right. Big mistake.
After walking a good three miles up into the mountains without a waterfall in sight, I started to lose my Jesus Attitude. We were all weary, overheated, and questioning our life choices when we randomly ran in to the only other two people that were crazy enough to get this far.
They told us, “Oh, yeah – the falls are to the left of the fork not the right.”
TO THE LEFT????!!!
At that point, I chose not to speak. I felt it was better for all of us. Turning around, we retraced our steps and found our way back to the parking lot. By then, we had walked six miles. We wanted to be done. I wanted to be done, but my sweet husband encouraged us to keep going. And, boy, were we thankful we did.
The falls were absolutely epic.
Also, my kids slept great that night.
Later, as I laid in bed barely able to move but incredibly happy, I thought of my children's squeals and giggles as they saw the magnificence of the falls. I thought of what would have been missed if we had given up. And then I remembered this verse:
2 Corinthians 4:16-18 "That is why we never give up. Though our bodies are dying, our spirits are being renewed every day. For our present troubles are quite small and won’t last very long. Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever! So we don’t look at the troubles we can see now; rather, we fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen. For the things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever."
When I awoke the next day, the soreness in my legs was gone, the fatigue from climbing had disappeared, but the memory of my children dancing in a waterfall? That was still with me and was worth it all.
Maybe today, you feel like throwing in the towel and turning back. Maybe you don't think you have it in you to go one more inch. Know you are not alone. We have all been there. Can I encourage you to run to Jesus? Study your Bible, pray, worship - find strength in Him. And then - keep going.
So much is missed by giving up, but so much is gained by digging your heels in and refusing to quit. Think of what could be on the other side of your perseverance...