One day, I was walking to work. The rain was pouring and the wind was blowing. When I decided to fold my already broken umbrella, I was able to look up at the sky. Then I saw a flock of birds flying. Although their wings were obviously moving, they remained in the same spot because the wind was blowing too strong. I laughed to myself and thought of how silly those birds were. I imagined how exhausting it could have been for them to keep flapping their wings but not get anywhere. Eventually, they stopped and decided to rest on a tree.
Then I reflected on why the Lord allowed me to witness that scene.
There were many times in my life where I have exerted so much effort to achieve something or to be great at something yet somehow, after all that was said and done, I felt like I have not arrived at the destination I hoped I’d be. I have stubbornly insisted on doing things my own way, exhausted myself, blindly persevered, wasted resources and pursued things that the Lord didn’t want me to pursue. Even when God was clearly telling me to stop, take a break and rest for awhile, I still insisted. I was like one of the silly birds. But just like the birds, I eventually learned to stop, reassess and to patiently wait. I was able to realize that the reason I wasn’t getting to where I wanted to be is simply because it wasn’t where God wanted me to be.
It is in the nature of birds to fly against the wind. This allows the air to lift them up when their wings are open. Some challenges in life keep us floating. Some challenges are hurdles that we have to get over in order for us to soar higher. But some are too strong and difficult that it weighs us down or hinders us from moving forward. I have learned that we have to assess if the challenges that we are going through are God’s ways of telling us to persevere or to take a different path.
My Lord and my God, please allow me to always be sensitive to Your leading. Guide me on the path that You have already paved for me. Mother Mary, melt me and mold me.