We are approaching a special time of year in Southern Indiana: mushroom season. My great grandmother always called them God’s little miracles because the mushroom is such a mystery. They grow from under trees and they spring up out of the side of rocks. I’ve been mushroom hunting my whole life. From the time I was a very small child we have been tromping the woods to find fungus. This season is a reminder to me to keep my eyes on Jesus. I’ll explain why.
A couple years ago I was mushroom hunting. I was scouring the woods to find a grand mushroom. One caught my eye and I went running toward it. I kept my eyes glued on the mushroom as I jumped over logs and tore through a sticker bush. Anyone that has been mushroom hunting knows that you have to keep your eyes fixed on the mushroom. If you lose focus, you might never find it again. So I was very intent on keeping my eyes on that mushroom. I was also giddy as innocent childhood memories flooded back, plus the hunt is absolutely thrilling. I quickly darted around until I finally captured that mushroom. With pride I stood tall with my find basking in the glory of finding one of God’s little miracles.
My excitement quickly plummeted when I realized I was stuck. Stuck in the middle of trees and sticker bushes. As I began my crawl out of that mess, it was slow. I was scratched. My hair got tangled in a bush. It was very slow moving, but I did manage to find my way out of that mess. It was painful and with much effort, but I lived to tell the tale.
I felt the Holy Spirit speak to my heart. This was much like life. On the way in I had my eyes fixed on that mushroom and I ran right through some really big obstacles. However, on the way out I was focused on the thorns and foliage and I was almost defeated by them. The only difference was my focus. That one difference resulted in two totally different experiences.
So now I see that my focus needs to be on Jesus. It shouldn’t be on the obstacles. In this life we have so many. Jesus will never abandon us. He will always be a place of focus. So let us keep our eyes locked on Him and follow Him the way He intended. Not to take the obstacles away, just to help us get through them. We are so blessed to have this option. We are so blessed to be able to call on Jesus. We are so blessed to able to follow Him. There is such a difference in focusing on Jesus and focusing on the storms around us. Let us trust in Him.
Another thing my great grandma always said was to thank God every time you found a mushroom and to hope for another. “Thank you Lord, send us another one.”
Cheers to another season of mushroom hunting!
Blessings to you!