EHAL Magazine May 2019

Everything Horses and Livestock Magazine ®

The Dead End Trail

I t’s been said that when a trail ends another begins. Sounds great and encouraging, right? I believe that most of us have been riding and found ourselves on a dead end trail. Occasionally we are on one that has no connecting trails or a way out. The only route is to turn around and go back the way we came. The wonderful thing about turning around and riding back out is that you see things different than you did when you rode in. It always seems to me that even though it is the same distance, the way back always seems shorter than the distance going in. Do you ever wonder why we feel the need to get out of that dead end trail quicker than we went in? It’s like an outlaw is going to trap us or wild animal is going to attack us. Maybe it’s just the realization that it’s a dead end or we’re too scared to go back. Perhaps there were dangers and obstacles that exceeded our comfort zone that we had to cross in reaching the end. I know some trails I’ve ridden, I was relieved and glad they were one way and I didn’t have to return riding the same way.

Has this happened to you? Have you hit a dead end in your spiritual life?

Pharaoh and over his army, that the Egyptians may know that I Am the Lord.” And they did so. Exodus 14:3-4 NKJV Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea; and the Lord caused the sea to go back by a strong east wind all the night, and made the sea into dry land, and the waters were divided. Exodus 14:21 NKJV Two things I get from this example of God’s strength and compassion for us in verse 21: 1. If we look close at this verse it tells us that the wind blew all night while most were sleeping or at the least they were not able to see what God was doing. Could it be that God is moving in your life? Sometimes we don’t recognize what God is doing behind the scenes to make a miracle for us. 2. When riding with God there will never be a dead end trail that he won’t provide you a way out. You may be at a dead end trail in your life at this moment. It may or may not be spiritual. If you can’t find the way back because of darkness in your life, or fear of exceeding your comfort zone or even just too

The following scriptures come to mind.

“Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day.” 2 Corinthians 4:16 NKJV But Jesus looked at them and said, “With men it is impossible, but not with God; for with God all things are possible.” Mark 10:27 NKJV “For you are my hope, O Lord God; You are my trust from my youth.” Psalm 71:5 NKJV The record of God’s children in Exodus Chapter 14 gives us a view of the power and love that God has toward us. You see the children of Israel had just been lead out of captivity by God through His servant Moses. The first path they took was a dead end trail. “For Pharaoh will say of the children of Israel, ‘They are bewildered by the land; the wilderness has closed them in.’ Then I will harden Pharaoh’s heart, so that he will pursue them; and I will gain honor over

Everything Horses and Livestock® | May 2019 | EHALmagazine.com 28