Through Fiery Trials
“You ready?” asked my buddy Rob.
From behind my air mask, I managed the muffled words, “Let’s go,” and we entered the building. I was on my first training exercise of search and rescue as a volunteer firefighter. Rob and I were searching the building to locate any victims who would be caught in a fire. Ok, I thought. No big deal. I mean, we search the building and get back out in a couple of minutes no problem.
However, there was a catch. Before we began the drill, my lieutenant wrapped plastic around my face mask so that I couldn’t see my glove in front of my face! Already decked out in my bunker gear and air pack, I had no chance to back out. Just before we began the search, Rob said no matter what to keep a hand on his boot. I soon realized the significance of that command.
As we crawled on hands and knees feeling our way along, you’d better believe I kept one hand on his boot. If it had been a real situation, the last thing I wanted was to get lost in a burning building.
I soon realized how easy it would be to become separated from my partner. Only a momentary lapse on my part, and disaster could follow. Either one or both of us would become vulnerable having lost the “strength of two.” However, as long as I kept a hand on my partner’s boot, I knew we'd be all right.
Reflecting back on this drill, I think of the many times that the Lord has guided me through difficult situations—times when I could not see my hand in front of my face, spiritually speaking. We’ve all been there, right? I mean, as Christians, we face extremely pressured situations, and in the heat of the moment, we find ourselves letting go of God only to find ourselves panicked in the lonely darkness.
Admit it. None of us like feeling lost—I sure don’t. What’s worse is the hit our pride takes to admit that we’re lost. I don’t even like to stop for directions when driving because it hurts my pride to admit that I’m lost. Swallowing some pride is actually a small price to pay in order to regain the calming sense of knowing I’m not on this mission alone.
One of the greatest comforts we can find in Scripture is that the Lord is always there leading us and guiding us. All we have to do is reach out and grab hold once again, so to speak.
Perhaps you’re a freshman college student, and you feel lost in a stack of homework and projects. Circumstances like this provide us numerous excuses to give up, but we can prevail—the Lord will not abandon us if we simply hold on to Him. On the other side of the smoke and confusion is a peace of mind that the same Lord who called you here will guide you.
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