A great and thrilling start to my new school year was a bonding adventure with my co-workers. The really thrilling part was that it was at an undisclosed location, doing an undisclosed activity.
I was nervous!
There were those thoughts of:
-what will I be ‘expected’ to do?
-will I make a fool out of myself?
-what if I cannot do what the others can?
… and more.
But, I had no choice but to look at the integrity and reputation of the administrative team, and trust that they had a plan that was safe.
After a number of twists and turns (a couple of them u-turns), and great quantities (and volumes) of hoots and hollers, we arrived at our destination … a ropes course. I’ve always wanted to do a ropes course!
According to the information I read, the course takes you from 2m to 18m up into the trees. It includes climbing, swinging, zip lining, tightropes and many, many challenges.
It was such great fun, and so very mentally challenging.
There was one point, when my arms felt as though they had been transformed into jello, and I had to pull myself along a rope (while balancing, precariously, meters up in the air) from one platform to the next. I was …
d o n e
After exerting much energy, and seemingly going nowhere, I said to myself, ‘I’m safe in the harness, I will not fall, so to heck with balancing, just plunge forward, there is no risk.’
And so I did … it was probably not very graceful or pretty (not much of what I do is), but I made it to that next platform much faster … because I trusted in the integrity and historical safety of what I was attached to.
As I sat at home that evening, fretting and worrying about how my professional skills and abilities are like … Jello. About how I could not possibly go to work with the strength I need to meet the needs of the students I will be working with …
I remembered the harness, and how I stopped trying to balance on my own strength, and simply rest in the integrity and historical safety of what I was attached to.
There’s a harness that can provide such security, support and balance in every area of life, and it is a harness of integrity and proven throughout history.
It is faith in God.
1 Thessalonians 5:24 reminds us, “He who calls you is faithful, who will also do it.”
That’s the harness offered to all, we just need to rest in the integrity, and how He has proven throughout history to be safe.