THE WALKING STICK

As you stumble through the storms of life, there forms in your character something that is of esteemed, practical value. A rod laced with steel and stone. A walking stick made of substance that has resisted a thousand storms.

And with each storm it has grown not weaker and weaker and at its final extremity dashed against a granite escarpment in twisted emotional metal and plexiglass.

It grows not weaker, it lies not in a pile of scrap that once flew high among the clouds. It stands imbedded in the rock that is your faith.

"Damaged people are dangerous, they know they can survive."
-- Anna Barton

Its outward appearance may speak of despair, depression and defeat. It may seem stunted and deformed, but it has the strength of ten thousand angels.

Your "walking stick" is the spiritual dimension of your character. And let us understand something of importance about this character. It is not a gift -- it comes to you in the old-fashioned way -- you earn it.

You do not earn forgiveness of sins -- that is a gift; you do not earn eternal life -- that too, is a gift; you do not earn heaven -- that is all a gift of God through faith in Jesus Christ.

But the ability to successfully wrestle the demons of life, the ability to achieve your dreams, the ability to transcend stress and debilitating miasma; these things are all a matter of Nebuchadnezzar's burning fiery furnace.

It is seeing him who is invisible, one like unto the Son of God standing in the flames with us, who so protects us, who so enables us that we emerge from the furnace with not even the smell of smoke on our clothes! (Well, maybe a singed eyebrow or two.)

I would suggest to you that -- more important than depending on the strength of God to do for you -- is to depend on the strength he is forging in you to do for yourself.