I hate finding my path filled with obstacles. That’s when I want to sit down and sigh. And wonder if it’s worth the struggle.

Well, that depends on the goal, of course. Obstacles pop up most of the time when we’re pursuing a dream. It isn’t all sunshine and butterflies on the way to completion.

So, when I’m working along like a busy bee and suddenly there’s a whole new crop of boulders in front of me, well, it’s a bit discouraging. Sometimes I even wonder if this is really what I’m supposed to be doing at all. And sometimes it isn’t and I end up sacking the whole project. But sometimes it is and I just have to suck it up and persevere. One boulder at a time. You know, like the story of the tortoise and the hare.

When I run into obstacles it’s always because I’ve never traveled this exact path before. This is new territory. And that makes me chuckle as it reminds me of an old Christian saying, “new level, new devil”. Same difference.

We’ve always been all about “Is this what God wants me to be doing? Is this His will for my life?” And if we believe the answer is “yes”, then the first road block makes us worry that we got it wrong and didn’t hear from Him at all. Isn’t that called double-minded?

Anyway, lately, He’s been saying to me “What do YOU want to do?”

That question throws me a curve ball because I’m not accustomed to thinking that God wants to know what I want. I’ve spent all my life searching for what HE wants. And now He’s flipping it. And that just feels weird.

But He told me, “I want to give you the desires of your heart. So, what are they? I’ll help you figure that out each time. Then afterward, go toward that mark. There will be obstacles. And those are there to teach you something. Each obstacle has a key. And I have all the keys. Simply ask Me. Then you will become an Overcomer. And in the end, you’ll see the desire of your heart.”

Well, this plan is really different than what I was always taught, to wait on Him and He will perform it. This is more like a partnership and I get to pick the prize.

So, I’ve tried this way a few times and something surprising happened. Yes, I reached the goal, that I picked, but that wasn’t the real prize. The most valuable things I got were inside Overcoming each one of those obstacles. Those turn into skills that stay with me for the next goal and the next.

He gets a lot of joy in my advancement. But it’s not so much about giving me the desires of my heart, but growing me and inspiring me along the way to that desire.

I’m learning to enjoy the journey, and even to look forward to the obstacles.

There’s a surprise inside!