Have you ever felt like you’re standing at the top of a cliff, staring down at the place you long to be? You can see it, almost taste it. Yet you can’t jump because the fall is too far, and you can’t repel because you don’t know how.
You’re so close — and yet, the only way forward is to turn and walk the other direction.
The Hardest Path Forward
Sometimes the path to our destination doesn’t lead straight ahead. Instead, it winds away from what seems closest. To move forward, we have to let go of instant gratification and choose the long, difficult way.
It feels like giving up. But in God’s hands, that detour becomes the very road that leads us to where we’re meant to be.
Jesus put it this way:
“Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.”
— Matthew 7:13–14
The narrow road is never easy. But it’s always worth it.
Recovery Truth
In recovery, we often face the same cliff. We want freedom, peace, and joy — right now. But the only way to get there is to take one step at a time, often in the opposite direction of what we crave most.
- It may feel like moving away from comfort.
- It may feel like walking farther from what we thought would satisfy.
- It may even feel like losing.
But every step of surrender, honesty, and trust is a step toward real life.
Trusting the Path
When I stand on the cliff, I have to remind myself: I can’t fly on my own. I can’t skip the process. But I can trust the One who sees the whole path.
Even when it feels like I’m moving away from what I want, God is leading me closer to what I need.
“Faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.”
— Hebrews 11:1
A Prayer
Lord, when I stand on the cliff and feel the pull of instant gratification, remind me that Your path is always better. Give me courage to walk the long road, even when it feels like I’m moving away from what I desire most. Teach me to trust You with every step until I reach the place You’ve prepared for me. Amen.