“Often God leads us through the land we most want to avoid in order to produce the fruit we most desperately desire.”

A thought by Jeff Manion (2010-07-14) in his book, The Land Between: Finding God in DifficultTransitions (p. 191). Zondervan. Kindle Edition.

Have you ever noticed that the fruit that is the easiest to pick is on the ground because it is too ripe so it has fallen off the tree? Have you also noticed that the best fruit usually takes some effort to pick? Could that also be true about those things we really want in our life.

Two years ago in August I weighed 260 lbs. I always used to laughingly say that I didn’t have a weight problem, I had a height problem. I should be 7 ½ feet tall. But the truth was I had a real weight problem and it was affecting my quality of life. I was having trouble with my feet; I was becoming an invalid and a prime candidate for a heart attack. I was not looking at the quality or quantity of life that I wanted.

Now something happened that month that change the direction of my wife’s life and in turn changed mine. Margaret found out that she was a type 2 diabetic. Margaret is a nurse and she got on the phone and started talking to some of her Doctor friends who told her that diet change and exercise needed to become a major part of her life so we came home to Long Island and changed our diet and started walking.

Today, I weighed 220 lbs. I had oatmeal with nuts at my Starbucks for breakfast and I then walked at the Roosevelt Mall for 5 miles. That negative thing in Margaret’s life changed her life but it also changed mine but it has been a slow, difficult change. It is harder to make things happen physically at 64 but it is worth it.

We want so many times God to give us what we want but we want it right now and without it costing us anything. God find that job I want, give me that mate that is just what I need, keep me healthy or whatever it is you want in life. But sometimes God has a difficult path for us to walk to get us to where we and He wants us to be. And it is worth it.

So what is it you desperately desire and what is you need to do to get it? You may have to go through the land you most want to avoid but listen you will find it will be worth it. Let Him have your life and let Him work it out the way He sees is best for you. He can be trusted.

By the way, my desire is to get down below 200 lbs. by Christmas. So tomorrow morning I will be back at the Roosevelt Mall at 8:00 am ready to start waking again.

So what about you?

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