During my third week of basic training at Fort Knox, we went through a wooded obstacle course. We were challenged with the task of climbing up a wooden tower that looked like an oversized version of Lincoln Log building blocks. The tower had four sides with each side having four log rungs that were about the size of tree trunks. Each rung was spaced about 4 to 5 feet apart going up. We were put into groups of four and not allowed to move from the obstacle until our whole group got to the top. All of the groups in my platoon flew through the obstacle except the last group. My drill sergeant called the rest of the groups back to cheer on the last group. When I got to the base of the tower, I saw all four of the soldiers in the group each struggling on their own to try to get up the tower. Finally, my drill sergeant had enough and explained to them that although the goal was to get to the top of the tower, the purpose of the training exercise was to teach us how to work together to complete a task.
All of the other groups had used the taller soldiers to boost the shorter ones to the next level, and then had the shorter ones assist the taller ones by helping them up. This is a perfect example of how we can confuse our goals and plans with God’s purpose. Proverbs 19:21 says, “Many plans are in a man’s mind, but it is the Lord’s purpose for him that will stand.” When we try to figure out things on our own or make plans without including God in their formation, things just get more and more confusing and much more difficult than they need be. Our best made plans will fail without God’s input, but His callings and purposes for our lives stand. Being solely focused on our own plans is the opposite of focusing on God. We must learn to seek the Holy Spirit and trust God’s purpose in every area of our lives and not rely on ourselves.
Stay Strong and Carry On,
Carrington
