Was it Worth it?

This afternoon I decided to go for a hike in the foothills. It was a beautiful day, just perfect for hiking.

I hadn’t gone very far when I met someone on the path. This little old lady with her cane stepped off to the side to let me by. I smiled at her and she said with a laugh, “We both know we can do it but is it worth it?”

I laughed as I passed and considered her statement for several minutes before it slipped from my mind and I continued with delight at the adventure of trying the new trail I’d found. I hiked in quite a ways before I decided it was getting time to turn back. By the time I reach the car my legs were sore but I was too tickled at the fun time I’d had to consider them.

It wasn’t until I was driving away that I remembered that lady’s words from earlier and the Lord asked me if it was worth it? I needed not a second to give my joyous reply, “Yes!”

I had chosen to go hiking, sure I got a little sore, had to breath heavy a few times, and got scared by a bike coming around a blind corner, but I wanted to go, no one made me.

The same is true with following the Lord. It’s our choice; no one makes us do it. We choose to enter into to the adventure. Of course there are days when everything feels rotten and keeps getting harder when you didn’t think it could. But at the end of the day it still must be worth it because I wouldn’t keep doing it if it wasn’t. Think about Jesus on the darkest day of His life. (Being nailed to a cross, talk about a doozy of a bad day!) And yet His response still was: it’s worth it.

Is it worth it? All the suffering of this world, the challenges that push you beyond, and the times you think you’re going to be run over? Yes! If only to one day stand before my Savor and have Him look into my eyes and say: Well done, good and faithful servant…enter into the joy of your Lord! My heart’s desire is that everyone could one day stand before their Savor and hear these words spoken over them. That’s why I keep choosing this adventure, despite the suffering, challenges, and almost being run over, because the eternity of everyone the Lord touches through me is worth it.