“Straight through the forest is your way now. Don’t stray off the track!”
“…if you do, it is a thousand to one you will never find it again and never get out of Mirkwood.”
These are the words of Galdalf to Bilbo and his company of dwarfs in THE HOBBIT, by J.R.R. Tolkin.
I recently watched the movie for the umpteenth time. When I first heard Gandalf’s warning years ago, I recall a determination to stay on the path, as though I were on Bilbo’s quest to the Lonely Mountain. But if the bridge washed away, what would I do? What if friends insisted we leave the trail to find food and avoid starvation? The warning not to stray seems impossible to heed, as the forest casts it’s spells and spiders approach.
Overwhelming situations may overtake us in a flash, yet God calls us to a life of peace, full and abundant.
Last time, we looked at escaping pretense by accepting the reality of God’s calling and its implication on our present life circumstances. This means practice and building the skills necessary to stay on the path.
Four reasons we are overwhelmed
1 – FALLEN WORLD
We live in a fallen world with forests full of dark magic, subjected to frustration, to bondage and decay. Flooded rivers wash away bridges, forcing us off safe paths across the rivers.
2 – EVIL
The evil one seeks to lead us astray in any way possible: delectable illusions of a better life, food, and relaxation. Evil enlists spiders and elves to snatch, snare, and entrap us, preventing us from continuing the journey.
3 – SIN
We fall short of what is right. When the bridge falls, we don’t wait for God’s instructions; we find our own way across the river. When Mirkwood’s illusions plague our minds, we entertain the false images. Walking into the traps of doing things for the wrong reasons wears away our energy and resolve. Our hearts fill with anger and resentment over this fallen world, believing ourselves justified when we strike back at the evil done to us.
4 – GUILT
Whether we are the imprisoned victim, the victimizer, or (as is most often the case) both, guilt weighs heavy on our existence.
To let go of an overwhelmed existence and to find peace, we must not only seek God’s presence and his shelter through the storms, but also walk “the track” set before us by God.
Next time, let’s learn strategies for managing our overburdened existence and walk the line toward peace. Despite Gandalf’s words, Bilbo and the dwarfs escaped Mirkwood.
