On the agenda of one family vacation years ago was a trip across the Royal Gorge Bridge near Cañon City, Colorado. Dangling 955 feet above the Arkansas River it was at the time, the world’s tallest bridge. The 1260 foot long bridge had a wooden deck with planks that were placed oh, I think about two or three feet apart. Marcia and the kids walked across the tall bridge while I drove the car across at a responsible 2 MPH speed. I’m much better now and can even drive highway speed across the 26 mile Lake Pontchartrain bridge in New Orleans pulling a trailer, without breaking a sweat.
There are some ‘bridges’ in our life journey that are unexpected and others that are inevitable. “We’ll cross that bridge when we come to it,” is a metaphor for, “Let’s not deal with that now.” Often, this is good advice to ward off needless and unproductive worry and fret about things that might not happen or over which we have no control. The metaphor is also sometimes used by folks in denial of the very real bridge connecting them from one chapter of life to another.
Being wired as a strategist, I’ve worked with the doctors to get a likely view of my symptoms during treatment. This has helped a great deal to relieve me of unnecessary anxiety. Not worrying about things over which I have no control allows me to anticipate and apply appropriate responses to those I can.
But what has helped Marcia and I the most while crossing this ‘Leukemia bridge’ is not strategy. It is applying the ageless truth of trusting God. While we’ve known in our heads and hearts that God’s Word was true and practical for life application, we have learned in a deeper place that it is applicable in every situation and in our every emotion. Trust is not easy to put on when you approach a large bridge. It is best developed and exercised day by day. If you cannot find God faithful in small things, it may be difficult to trust Him completely when you find yourself suddenly crossing larger, more stressful life bridges.
What life bridges are in your path and how can trusting God more help you in your approach? Reading His Word daily and taking time to thank Him throughout the day are two ways to build the trust and faith you will need to “cross that bridge when you do come to it.”
Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight. Proverbs 3:5-6