Having faith can be challenging but try this

I went on my first ski trip in high school. On one of my very first runs, Nathan (my husband, and then-boyfriend) decided to take me down a “Black Diamond Run”.

This run, usually reserved for the more advanced skiers, showcased a very steep slope, which was clearly above my beginner level of skiing. I watched as Nathan quickly cruised down the slope, even taking the occasional detour off the main path, so he could find more advanced tree runs and ski jumps.

I was left at the top of the run alone, not sure how I was going to make it down.

I felt an array of emotions at the top of the mountain that day. I felt angry that I was left alone. I felt frustrated that I wasn’t a more experienced skier. I was scared that I would get hurt. Standing there, at the top of the hill, overwhelmed and unsure, I broke down in tears.

There was no choice but to press on.

I made the only decision I felt was reasonable. I took off my skis and held them while I slid down on my rear-end.

Many of us have had moments similar to the ones I felt that day at the top of the mountain. Angry, scared, frustrated, unsure and overwhelmed. Often times, we have no choice but to press on.

Exercising faith, when what lies ahead is unknown, can be frightening.

I have always loved the scripture in Proverbs 3:5-6, “Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.”

Putting faith and trust in God can be challenging.

When our oldest son, Jackson, was 4 years old he started having bad dreams. One night before bed, he started crying and said, “I don’t want to go to bed. I don’t want to have another bad dream.”

I promised him that if he asked Heavenly Father to take away his bad dreams, he would sleep through the night. Jackson did just that, and trusted in the faith of his mom.

After he went to bed that night, I panicked!

What if he has another bad dream? What if God doesn’t answer his prayer? What if I promised him something that I couldn’t deliver on? These thoughts and fears propelled me to my own knees to plead with my Heavenly Father on behalf of my child.

Jackson awoke the next morning exclaiming, “Mom! Mom! You were right! I didn’t have a bad dream.”

That small amount of faith I had, coupled with the act of prayer, brought us both answers to our prayers.

Several years later, and I still sometimes find myself left alone on the top of a steep ski hill. I’ve learned if I look at the bottom of the steep hill, those same feelings of fear and uncertainty creep back into my mind. However, if I look just a few feet in front of me and concentrate on what I do know how to do, I can successfully ski down most runs on the mountain.

In the Disney film, “Frozen 2,” Anna sings the song, “Do the Next Right Thing”:

This next choice is one that I can make, So I’ll walk through this night, Stumbling blindly toward the light, And do the next right thing

Sometimes faith is just an act of choosing “the next right thing”.