Off the Beaten Path.

I love to hike. I love being outside in God's creation.

But often times, I get bored with hiking trails. So I step off the path. I wander through the woods, through thick foliage and over rocks. It's so much more exciting. Sure, it's a little risky. I've tripped on roots, been scratched by briars, been covered in those little sticker seeds, and on occassion, gotten a little lost.

Any time you get off the beaten path, it's risky. But it's so much more thrilling.

Why don't I apply that same principle to my faith walk?

The beaten path is easy. It's cleared. It's smooth. But the coolest discoveries and the best finds are typically found off the path, where there's less traffic and more risks.

In our world, most people keep to the beaten path. It's comfortable. It's easy. It's low-exertion. But Christ is calling us to step away from the mundane and the ordinary into a life of following Him, rather than the crowd.

Is it easy? Absolutely not. You'll fall down. You'll scrape your knees. You'll get a little messy. But the rewards that await you are not only wonderful, they're eternal.

“The path of God-exalting joy will cost you your life. Jesus said, 'Whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel’s will save it.' In other words, it is better to lose your life than to waste it. If you live gladly to make others glad in God, your life will be hard, your risks will be high, and your joy will be full. The bible is not a book about how to avoid a wounded life, but how to avoid a wasted life.” - John Piper

Treasuring our comfort and our plans and our life above Christ is a tragedy.

God has given us one life to live, and He's also given us a calling: to spread the word about His love. Don't waste your life on elevating yourself. Instead, spend it shining a spotlight on our glorious God, the Giver of life itself.

Make your life count for something great! Long for your life to have eternal significance. Don't coast through life without any desires or passions. Strap on your boots and get off the beaten path. Trust me. It's worth it.