“The Hard Way” by Justin March

As I close in on turning 50 this year, I often look back and reflect on all that
has occurred. Those moments that define who I am, the memories of past events,
and the roads that led me here are all reminders of a life that has moved by
faster than I had expected. Some of my recollections are clear, and I remember
every detail, while others are fuzzy and seem like they happened in a different
life.

As the memories linger and fight for my attention, I sometimes find it
difficult to find a theme that could sum up what is hopefully the first half of
my life. I often wonder how it would have turned out if I made different
choices or followed another path. I try to comprehend why certain things have
happened, and I search for an understanding of how my life has been shaped by
numerous events, people, and circumstances.

It is a lot to think about, and the answers are far from clear. But as I reminisce
about the chances I had, the decisions I made, and the path I followed, one
theme does rise to the top. When faced with a dilemma, a choice, or a fork in
the road, I tended to always lean towards the hard way.

If I am honest with myself, I feel like I have learned most of my lessons by
being kicked in the teeth. I have faced many obstacles, endured hardships, and
felt pain. I have mourned loss, regretted decisions, and lashed out. And I have
lived most of my life at the helm. I have taken the reins, thought I was in
control, and traveled the sea with blinders. So, as I look back at the journey
and the choices I have made, I should not be surprised that I traveled
undermanned, was ill prepared, and often found myself at the mercy of the
storms. And when you do not have the necessary tools or knowledge to brace
yourself against life’s unplanned moments, your ship begins to sink.

Yet, there is always hope and a chance for new beginnings. As my life
threatened to hurl me into the depths of that dark, encompassing ocean, I saw a
raft that beckoned me to jump aboard. A savior that challenged me to let that
old ship sink. And as I looked at the captain of the craft that came calling, I
felt a strange sense of familiarity, even though I could not recall how I knew
him.

It took 30 years to embrace the rescue. It took 30 years to listen to the call.
And it took 30 years to understand that God wanted to take the reins. He knew I
was not equipped to face the sea alone, and once I understood that MY ship was
sinking, it was HIS that brought me back to the surface.

Being part of God’s crew has changed the way I see the world. He is teaching me
how to be patient, gracious, thankful, and forgiving. He is surrounding me with
people who teach me how to love, be kind, and appreciate all of life’s
wonderful moments. And He is allowing me to see how those memories were full of
blessings and nurturing lessons, even if the choices were made the hard way.

We cannot change the past or predict the future. God has given us the freewill
to live our lives the way we choose. But, if I have learned anything in this
life, it is that the MY choices usually lead me down a path of destruction. MY
choices include a road full of potholes and dead ends. And MY choices leave
behind scars that are both ugly and painful. So, it is in these moments that we
must turn to God. We must allow HIS guidance to take over. We must be open to
HIS teachings and HIS appearances in everything we encounter. And we must be
ready to pick up HIS tools and go to work so we can pave a journey that leads
ourselves and others to HIM.

It has taken many years, but I find myself avoiding the hard way these days.
God has not promised trials or hardships will not be encountered, but He has
promised that if I take HIS hand and follow HIS lead, I will endure whatever
this life wants to throw my way. And in HIS glory, in HIS grace, and in HIS
forgiveness, our paths become a delightful journey, full of precious memories
that bless both us and those around us.

There will always be bad decisions, there will always be pain, and there will
always be loss, but when we travel with God as the lead, we can overcome
anything. He will teach us the lessons that build strength, deserve thanks, and
keep us humble. And even if the hard way may have dictated our decisions in the
past, we can be comforted in knowing that God was always there and is ready to
get us back on track! We do not need to travel the hard way we just need to
travel HIS way!