I made a little retreat this past weekend with a friend of mine, and it was filled with lots of great experiences.
One of them was heading to a outcroping of rocks in Pennsylvania called High Rock. Over the years, I’ve taken lots of people here to see the spectacular views.
On Saturday, we were treated to watching a group of hang gliders launch from the rocks and glide down into the valley below. To the right of the rocks, a small plaque was mounted on a tree, memorializing a young man who must have misjudged with wind, and crashed his hang glider after jumping from this very spot, losing his life. It must take a lot of courage to make the leap, especially after walking past this little monument.As I watched one glider after another, I wondered if I would be able to make that leap of faith. If your equipment failed, you would be in trouble. If you misjudged the wind, you would be in trouble. If you… Lot’s of if’s flowed through my mind.
At the same time, I also thought about the exhilaration a person must feel as they flew off into the sky. How peaceful it must be to leisurely fly down to the ground below, especially on such a beautiful fall day.
Sometimes in life, we’re all presented with situations which require courage. Should we, or shouldn’t we? What are the risks? What will the outcomes be if you succeed or if you fail? Sometimes, its courageous to forge ahead and take the leap. Other times, its courageous to hold off because the timing isn’t right.
When I think about courage, I also think about prayer. For me, the two go hand in hand. When I’m unsure of something, I bring God into the situation. If I can’t decide what to do myself, I bring a trusted friend or two into the loop. After that, I can feel pretty comfortable with my decision to either go forward, or hold back.
Is there something in your life right now that requires courage? How do you go about making big decisions? Something to think about as we begin this new week…
