Blisters

Blisters
by Brodie Swisher

At the end of a long day on a recent elk hunt, I found myself further from the truck than I wanted to be. I stared up at a monster mountain that I really didn’t want
to climb. And with lousy socks on my feet, I was past the point of blistered. Darkness was approaching, and with miles left to go, sitting down to rest was not an option. So I trudged on.
And then I heard a bull bugle. The sacred sound changed everything. My weary legs came alive. I had forgotten about the pain, the distance traveled, the mountain still ahead, and the blisters that burned my feet. I pressed on with a renewed passion for why I was there.

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Prior to this encounter with a bull, things were much different. Mile by mile I thought about my sore feet and how they’d been rubbed the wrong way for far too long. I often found myself wanting to sit down, sit out, and put the journey on hold. But that simply won’t get the job done. I had to move on.

Whether in the woods or on the journey of life, I’m finding that when I keep pushing on, even in the midst of pain, I am greatly rewarded. I love what Paul says in Philippians 3:13-14, “But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.”
There will always be people that rub us the wrong way. There will be times when a boss, friend, spouse, or stranger irritates us to the point of wanting to call it quits. But we must press on. The trials of this life are only for a season. We have a greater goal we’re striving towards. Whether in relationships with others or your personal walk with Christ, I encourage you to hang in there. Don’t quit now! It may seem like a mountain you’d rather not climb, or a crisis you simply can’t conquer. Press on! We have a God that moves mountains! He will deliver you. Don’t be derailed, distracted, or deceived.

Press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called us!

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