Last week a friend’s husband unexpectedly passed from this life. He repaired a gate on their property in the morning, had some soup for lunch, and laid down for a nap from which he awoke in Heaven. A few years ago they left their lifelong home in another state and moved into a home they shared with their daughter and her family so they could participate in their grandchildren’s lives. He was a loving grandpa who had a huge impact on his beloved grandchildren.
This has weighed heavily on me and I was searching for a godly perspective on this sad situation especially since it is my turn to teach those children in the Children’s Bible Class. How could I settle my own heart enough to help them? The phrase, ‘level paths for your feet’ kept coming to mind. (Such a sudden loss could certainly make you stumble!) So I looked up the phrase and found it in both the Old and New Testaments. The New Testament verse about level paths is actually a quote from Proverbs. The same verse also quotes a passage in Isaiah which has been a favorite of mine for decades. Here’s what the New Testament verse says:
“Therefore, strengthen your feeble arms and weak knees. “Make level paths for your feet,” so that the lame may not be disabled, but rather healed.” Hebrews 12:12-13
The Old Testament prophet, Isaiah, had beautiful words of encouragement for God’s people.
“they will see the glory of the Lord, the splendor of our God.
With this news, strengthen those who have tired hands,
and encourage those who have weak knees.
Say to those with fearful hearts,
“Be strong, and do not fear,
for your God is coming to destroy your enemies.
He is coming to save you.” Isaiah 35:3-4
Isaiah told God’s people that it won’t always be this way. There will come a day when our exhaustion, weariness, and fear will be a thing of the past. We whose weak knees could barely carry us along will find ourselves walking in peace and joy on an even, straight highway where nothing threatens us. Sorrow and sighing will run away from us and delight, happiness, and pleasure will catch up with us and accompany us to our eternal destination where we will sing and be crowned with continual joy.
“And a highway will be there;
it will be called the Way of Holiness;
it will be for those who walk on that Way. (or in God’s ways)…
No lion will be there, nor any ravenous beast;
But only the redeemed will walk there,
and those the Lord has rescued will return. They will enter Zion with singing;
everlasting joy will crown their heads.
Gladness and joy will overtake them,
and sorrow and sighing will flee away.” Isaiah 35:8-10
I love the juxtaposition of overtake and flee away; gladness and joy instead of sorrow and sighing.
“Make level paths for your feet,” so that the lame may not be disabled, but rather healed.” Hebrews 12:13
The writer of Hebrews repeats King Solomon’s wise advice from Proverbs 4 because hardship can tempt us to get off track. We can be held back by our fear and stumble over our loss. Our pain can cripple us and prevent us from moving forward. The remedy is to listen carefully to God’s words letting them sink deep into our being to heal us and give us life. Then we must keep looking straight ahead to our happy reward and walk in obedience, trusting God’s good plan and not giving in to negativity.
“I will teach you wisdom’s ways
and lead you in straight paths.
When you walk, you won’t be held back;
when you run, you won’t stumble.
Listen carefully to my words.
Don’t lose sight of them.
Let them penetrate deep into your heart,
for they bring life to those who find them,
and healing to their whole body.
Look straight ahead,
and fix your eyes on what lies before you.
Mark out a straight path for your feet;
stay on the safe path.
Don’t get sidetracked;
keep your feet from following evil.” Proverbs 4:11-12, 20-22, 25-27
The Hebrews passage that references these two uplifting Old Testament passages also gives us more helpful pointers when we face hard things.
There are two temptations when hard things happen to us: We can brush it off and deny anything is wrong. Or we can lose heart and give up.
“Do not make light of the Lord’s discipline/training/instruction/correction”. Hebrews 12:5
Admit it’s a hard time, don’t deny the hurt. Don’t minimize the difficulty. Don’t brush off pain as if it doesn’t matter. Don’t pretend everything is ok.
We had a good friend whose mother was seriously ill, but every time we inquired about her he would always say dismissively, “She’s fine. Fine.” Until the day she died. God warns us against this dishonest response to trouble. God wants honesty. Scripture is clear that Jesus despised the shameful treatment he received at the cross. But he persevered because he saw the joy ahead. We should admit, not deny our pain. Yet not focus on it, but focus on the joy ahead.
“And do not lose heart when he rebukes/exposes fault/corrects you.” Hebrews 12:5
Don’t become overwhelmed with your pain or sorrow and give up living for God. Don’t let exhaustion and fear push you off the right path.
“No training/correcting seems pleasant/happy at the time, but painful/sorrowful/distressing. . .Later on, however . . .” Hebrews 12:11
“No pain, no gain.” We have a friend who recently went through our state police boot camp. The training certainly wasn’t fun! It was painful! His body, mind, and emotions were pushed to the limit. In fact, several men dropped out of an already small class. But our friend had his eyes on the other side. He felt God called him to this task and he persevered with the help of his encouraging wife and the prayers of his church.
“Later on, it produces/ rewards you with a harvest/crop of righteousness and peace…”. Hebrews 12:11
Future joy helps us persevere. We know God uses bad things for good. Even hardships bring blessings. We are changed for the better through them. We will enjoy great benefit from what we learn from them. We will be more like God, and we will have happiness and peace in this life and the next.
When we get hit by hard things:
We should persevere
Obey God
Avoid wrongdoing
Be patient
Trust our loving Heavenly Father
Imitate Jesus
Hope in God’s goodness
Look forward to a good outcome
Keep moving forward
Let God’s words heal us
Don’t give up!
Don’t get off track.
Don’t lose heart.
Believe that God is making us better.
“run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus. . . For the joy set before him he endured . . . Consider him who endured, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart. . . this word of encouragement that addresses you as a father addresses his son. . .” Hebrews 12:1-3