Ever felt like you’ve not got very far?

Ever felt like the journey is v-e-r-y l-o-n-g?… and that the end is further away than the beginning?

Ever felt like the encouragement to press in and aim high is more than you can handle … today?

It’s called discouragement!… and for some it’s a familiar companion, that we’d love to lose down a deep hole!!

Many journeys we take have a limited length. My husband and I often drive from our home to London to visit our children there. The Sat. Nav. usually gives us an estimated time of arrival… about six hours after we set off, but invariably it takes us nearer eight! I don’t enjoy that extended journey –especially when I know the train only takes just over three hours! But I can put up with it because it is limited and the end result, seeing our family, is very worth it! But there are journeys in life that seem to be forever journeys and the destination is a little bit undetermined as to its eventuality!

When our 5 children were little and we did road trips that lasted hours, sometimes a day or so, I used to plan treat bags for them. Two bags, one for edible treats, and one for amusement treats… they could choose what they picked. Every so often, usually when we felt the sitting time was getting close to a major melt down, we would bring out these treat bags and, having chosen their treat, they would settle for a while longer, until we could find somewhere to run and exercise before continuing… they needed to step out and stretch (so did I!) in order to keep going.

We would never have considered NOT taking a long journey – we just needed to stage it and have things ready for the “boring bits” and the “nothing happening” bits!

Our “boring” bits are where discouragement rears its head and can make us stop, opt out or ease off in our journey.

God hasn’t called us to break the speed record to get to the “goal”, whether a personal one or a team goal. But he has called us to “walk by the Spirit”, to Wait on the Lord and renew our strength for the journey. To enjoy the way He has set before us : The LORD makes firm the steps of the one who delights in Him. Psalm 37:23

So take some time to be refreshed for the next leg of the journey… go to a movie, eat out, laugh with a friend, take a walk and be renewed in what the purpose of the journey is .

Set out with fresh purpose and know every step takes you closer to the goal, every prayer is nearer to the release of the answer and every encouraging word is a step up!