The River Vs. The Forest

Have you ever had to try to surrender something to God but had trouble doing it?


 Have you ever felt your mind analyze so much that you get stressed and frustrated to the point of exhaustion. Do you have something that your dealing with to where you can't see a way out? I guess the best way I can put it is surrendering something to God vs carrying the burden on your own..

In my quiet time, I was dealing with this. I have been trying so hard to "get it right" but yet it seems the harder I try, the more discouraged I end up. This is what the Lord shared. I hope this encourages you.

Picture a river that flows down to a beautiful beach type area. Picture also, that on either side of this river is a forest. You want to get to the beachy area...and there are two ways you can get there.

First, you can go through the forest that goes alongside the river. As you struggle to move towards your destination, you have to constantly move tree branches, step through throns, swat away bugs, break limbs, and basically stumble your way through. It takes alot of effort, and all you can see are these obstacles that are in your way. You really can't even see the beach from this route..you only know that's where you want to go.

Or, you can go through the river. Now picture yourself on an innertube. The river has a current that is floating you towards the beach. There's nothing in the way. Around you, you can see the sun and you are enjoying the scenery around you. Every so often, you may have to paddle to get to another current, but it's easy. You just sit back, enjoy the ride, and the current does all the work.

The river represents surrendering to God. It represent flowing in the Spirit.When you surrender to God, you turst that He will carry you to your destination. There is no burden. You can sit back and relax, becasue you know that the river is going to bring you to where you want to go. All you have to do is go along for the ride. Enjoy the peace, enjoy the tranquility..look around and smile at the beautiful scenery that surrounds you.

The forest is the path that is chosen when you try to do it on your own. You take back the burdens you surrendered to God and placed them back on your shoulders. As a result, you start to have doubts, you have to stumble through the enemies thorns and bugs, and you feel like you are constantly fighting. There sin't any peace..just worry and fear.

The bottom line is this. When you surrender something to God, it is His. He will take care of it. All you ahve to do is go along for the ride. Enjoy the scenery around you..enjoy the journey. Keep in the flow of His spirit. He will get you there. It's much easier and much less burdensome. :)