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Jun 21, 2025 06:00am

The Hike Guide

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Several years ago, during a beautiful fall season, my daughters and I took a three-hour road trip to a popular hiking destination in Arkansas. We woke up early that morning and headed out with excitement. The last hour of our drive was a steep and curvy highway that turned into a very steep, very curvy, and very narrow dirt road.

Our hike started at the top of a hill and was a downhill walk through the woods. About a quarter of the way in, my youngest daughter started to complain. I began to hear things like:
“How much farther?”
“When are we going to be there?”
“Why did we drive 3 hours to walk through the woods?”
“I’m tired!”
“This is not fun!”
And on… and on….

I kept reassuring her that we were getting close to the end, but my reassurance didn’t seem to matter to her. Complaining, grumbling, whining.

After a short while, we finally reached our destination – a breathtaking overlook called Hawksbill Crag. As we rounded the wooded corner, the crag jutted out over the Ozark Mountains, which were blanketed in brilliant fall foliage. It was absolutely stunning.

The three of us sat down to take in the view, and my daughter looked at me and said, “Mom, I thought you were just taking us on a walk through the woods. I didn’t know we were going to this. I wouldn’t have complained if I knew this was what we were walking toward.”

After a deep, motherly sigh, I replied, “Why on earth would we drive 3 hours just to walk through the woods? How could you not understand that I was taking you somewhere worthwhile? You should have just trusted me – I had a plan.”

We soaked in the beauty for a while, then hiked back to the car and spent the rest of the day exploring more beautiful sights in the area. It was a really good day.

But on the drive home, I couldn’t stop thinking about what my daughter had said. How had she misunderstood? And then the Lord spoke to my heart, loud and clear: “How many times have you grumbled, complained, and whined about the journey when you should have simply been trusting Me to get you to My destination?”

Wow.

How often I forget that there’s a beautiful, breathtaking blessing at the end of every journey the Lord takes me on. Yes, sometimes the hike is difficult. Sometimes it hurts. Sometimes it takes my breath away, and it seems like I can’t go on. Sometimes I just don’t understand.

Sometimes I get impatient.

Sometimes it seems like it’s all uphill.

But, I only need to remember this: My Father is walking beside me, and He has a plan – a beautiful, worthwhile plan. The destination is always worth the journey.

So, today and every day, may I strive to enjoy the journey.
Refuse to complain.
Take in the sights.
Trust the plan.
Follow the Hike Guide.
And rejoice when I reach the destination.

Isaiah 55:8-9
For My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways, saith the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts.