The Bend in the Road

Tonight as I headed down our road for my evening walk I was captivated by the sight before me: 

The further I walked, the more brilliantly the light shone around the bend in the road. I was drawn toward this light and mesmerized by its glowing entreaty.

The refrain kept coming into my mind,

"When you come to the bend in the road",

and so many thoughts persisted as if God were giving me a special message...for me, perhaps...

but also possibly for you.

I am not a poet, so I won't even attempt to write in rhyme or verse.  

And actually, I discovered that Helen Steiner Rice has already written such a lovely poem about this very subject...so I will include that for you at the end of this.

Have you ever come to a place in your life where you felt like you had come to a roadblock...a dead end...a point of no return?  Perhaps a loss of job, financial security, home, marriage, spouse, parent, child, or friendship has left you feeling alone, empty and uncertain about your future...and all you can see is darkness and sorrow ahead.  

Believe it or not, we've all been there at different times in our lives. I've been there...perhaps more often than I'd like to admit or remember. We may each be affected differently by whatever our circumstance may be.  Some may respond with extreme fear and anxiety while others may react in anger and be unable to forgive or reconcile themselves to their changed position in life. There may even be those who respond with an attitude of accelerated activity and charge ahead recklessly without appearing to care at all about themselves or others around them. Others may be so caught up in grief that they cannot even begin to overcome the deep sorrow that engulfs their very souls. 

Regardless of how you appear to respond to the disappointments and challenges that life throws in your pathway, we can all agree that these kinds of events change our lives drastically from the outside in...and from the inside out.  Nothing will ever be the same again.  In some cases that is a bad thing...and perhaps in other cases, it could actually be a good thing. Obviously, that depends upon the severity of the situation as well as the condition of the heart and soul of the one traversing this journey.

What was impressing me about this vision of the bend in the road tonight was the divine light shining forth, beckoning me to continue on in my journey.  Not to give up or give in to defeat, fear, anxiety, sorrow, or even complacency, but to persevere and stay strong in my faith in the One Who was already walking before me, just around the bend,  shining His love-light toward me, guiding my pathway and keeping me headed in the right direction.

"Thus says the Lord, your Redeemer, The Holy One of Israel;

Who makes a way in the sea and a path through the mighty waters...

'Do not remember the former things,

nor consider the things of old.

Behold, I will do a new thing,

Now it shall spring forth; Shall you not know it?

I will even make a road in the wilderness

and rivers in the desert.'"

Isaiah 43:14, 16, 18-19

"And the Lord, He is the One who goes before you. 

He will be with you,

He will not leave you nor forsake you;

do not fear nor be dismayed."

Deuteronomy 31:8

Needless to say, this little walk tonight had a profound effect on my heart and mind. I couldn't wait to get back home and start putting these thoughts down on "paper" before they drowned in the sea of too many distractions and pressures waiting to overcome me when I got back home. It is my hope that anyone reading this will stop and realize that you are not alone in your present "bend in the road" of life.  That is all that it is...a bend...not an end.  Read what Helen Steiner Rice wrote and be encouraged and blessed...

The End Of The Road Is But A Bend In The Road

by Helen Steiner Rice

When we feel we have nothing left to give
And we are sure that the "song has ended"--
When our day seems over and the shadows fall
And the darkness of night has descended,

Where can we go to find the strength
To valiantly keep on trying,
Where can we find the hand that will dry
The tears that the heart is crying--

There's but one place to go and that is to God
And, dropping all pretense and pride,
We can pour out our problem without restraint
And gain strength with Him at our side--

And together we stand at life's crossroads
And view what we think is the end,
But God has a much bigger vision
And he tells us it's only a bend--

For the road goes on and is smoother,
And the "pause in the song" is a "rest,"
And the part that's unsung and unfinished
Is the sweetest and richest and best--

So rest and relax and grow stronger,
Let go and let God share your load,
Your work is not finished or ended,
You've just come to "a bend in the road."

There really isn't anything else for me to say, except keep moving forward, my friend. God is with you...He's already waiting for you, just around the bend.