Bear Tracks

One day last week while I was driving my son home from the school bus, I noticed bear tracks in the lightly fallen snow at the side of the road. I said, 'Wow! Everyone says we have a bear in our community, but I've never seen him. This is the first time I've even seen bear tracks."

Naturally as soon as we got out of the car, my son had to go and see the bear tracks for himself. I followed along behind him. We noticed how the bear tracks meandered along the edge of the road for a while. Then all of a sudden, the tracks went back and forth and in circles, all over one another. The bear tracks filled a circular area about 6' in diameter in the middle of the road. We wondered why the bear did this? Was he chasing a squirrel for an afternoon snack? We so often see squirrels prancing about in that very area. Then like nothing had ever happened, the bear tracks took a straight and narrow path into the wood beside my home.

After our fun discovery, when I was nestled warm inside my home, I couldn't help but think how those bear tracks resembled my experience of the previous few days. I had a small problem. The first day my mind meandered back and forth on which way to handle my problem. The second day I got very tense and confused, going back and forth in my head with my two options. The third day I took my problem to the Lord in prayer. It wasn't long before the right answered seemed so clear to me. I followed the Lord's lead and took the straight and narrow path to peace.

It's so simple...

 What a Friend we have in Jesus,
  All our sins and griefs to bear!
What a privilege to carry
  Everything to God in prayer!
O what peace we often forfeit,
  O what needless pain we bear,
All because we do not carry
  Everything to God in prayer!

Have we trials and temptations?
  Is there trouble anywhere?
We should never be discouraged,
  Take it to the Lord in prayer.
Can we find a friend so faithful
  Who will all our sorrows share?
Jesus knows our every weakness,
  Take it to the Lord in prayer.

 Are we weak and heavy-laden,
  Cumbered with a load of care?
Precious Savior, still our refuge—
  Take it to the Lord in prayer;
Do thy friends despise, forsake thee?
  Take it to the Lord in prayer;
In His arms He’ll take and shield thee,
  Thou wilt find a solace there.