The Only Way Out

Have you ever found yourself in a place that you feel you can't get out of?

A group of us went for a five hour adventure following a river into a chasm. It was totally isolated. Getting into the river was no trouble. We walked deep within the chasm for hours, clothes soaked but driven on with chocolate-infused energy.

Eventually the river got deep, really deep. The men went on ahead, only to discover it got deeper and colder and darker. Steep rock cliffs lined us, either side. This place of beauty, this magical place suddenly has us trapped.

I've been thinking that life is sometimes like that. Lately, I feel as if I have been trapped doing the same thing over and over again; going deeper into a hole that I can't seem to escape. Mr. and I have been fighting, over stupid things, but we can't seem to get out of the rut. I've been lazy, but it seems too hard to exercise so I stay on the couch. And I've wanted a change of scenery, a new hobby or the like, but I'm not sure where to begin.

Sin can also be like that. It's appealing and comfortable. There is a way out but it's really difficult to even spot it. And when you do, it is a frightening move. The path out never seems easy. In fact, sometimes it seems it would be easier just to keep going forward the same direction and hope an better option comes along.

Well it didn't for us that day. We had to back track for a while before we finally came to an area that we thought we might be able to scramble up. It was going to be tough and it evoked fear just thinking about it. We were tired and cold and each of us were really on our own because no one could pull the other up.

We started climbing. We were on all fours for most of it and immediately my hands and knees were grazed. I was afraid of falling backwards and I was shaking.

At one point, once we got out of scrub and into a steep, gassed incline we were forced to stop. In front of us was a steep drop, followed by another climb. Behind us, if we could get back without falling, was the chasm and the uncertainty of another path out. We continued forward.

It wasn't easy. I was incredibly scared. And tired.

But that feeling, when you almost reach the top and you look back at how far you have come is pure joy. And you can't believe you almost choose to go further into the chasm.

This is me, as I realise that I almost out of the worst part. I was incredibly happy to be in the sunlight again!

I think I would do well to take the experience that day and apply it to the life chasms I find myself in. I need to remember that the climb out of a hole is never easy but there is pure joy and freedom to be found once you find yourself standing at the top of the hill.