What had obviously begun as a slight hindrance had become a major one because the very first one had not been removed. Now what used to be a steady flow, had become only a slight trickle.

 
Photograph by Graham Cooper

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  


The Stream

    Just down the road from my house there is a stream which normally flows freely through the woods. One day awhile back, I noticed that the flowing had slowed to a trickle. This drew my attention, and I began to look more closely to discover the cause of the problem. As I observed, I began to think about similar situation that was going on in my life at the time.

    Normally in my relationship with God, there is a peace and an accompanying freedom. At this particular time however, there was a hindrance, and the flow of His life in me was not as free as it normally is. Even so I knew, because of the promises in His Word, that He had not left me (Hebrews 13:5). I turned again to look at the stream. At a bend in the water's path, I spotted a soggy old discarded rag which had gotten caught on the rocks. Backed up behind the rag were several other bits of trash that had caught there one at a time, each one catching on the previous blockage. What had obviously begun as a slight hindrance had become a major one because the very first one had not been removed. Now what used to be a steady flow, had become only a slight trickle. Using a fallen branch, I fished the trash out of the stream and immediately the flow returned.

    There in the woods I took care of some business with God. Confessing and letting go of resentments that had been too long unattended, as well as a lack of trusting Him in my circumstances, I removed the debris inwardly and walked back to the house with my peace restored and with the stream within moving freely again.

Copyright Daphne Harrington 1998