Today, we’re bringing you a reprint of an article that Sister Linda Scolaro shared way, way back in 2012.

Recently, I took my daughters to a pumpkin farm to celebrate fall. Since moving to Arizona from the East, I have found that celebrating fall is very different. We ventured out to a farm that advertised a pumpkin patch. The pumpkin patch turned out to be a place where pumpkins were displayed and sold in crates. Spots of brown grass were surrounded with desert sand. We even saw a cactus. 

However, in the center of the farm was a corn maze. Daughter number 2 was determined to walk through the maze. Daughter number 1 was not as enthusiastic. As for me, I have a terrible sense of direction, and I didn’t want to deliberately set out to become confused or lost. I usually accomplish that without being in a maze. However, seeing my younger daughter’s determination, I relented and ventured through the maze. 

Upon doing so, I saw many spiritual parallels. 

There were many forks in the road. Decisions had to be made about which one to take. We did not have a map. Also, there was a shorter path that measured 0.4 miles, and there was a longer path that measured 2.6 miles. Daughter number 1 encouraged us to take the shorter path. Daughter number 2 kept reminding us it was good exercise, while Daughter 1 complained of being hot. 

We walked and even made a complete circle. As we walked, we heard the familiar sounds of children playing becoming fainter. My rule was that we had to stay together. Finally, Daughter 1, who has been blessed with a keen sense of direction, recognized something familiar that we had seen earlier, and she said, “We are almost there!” As we walked, we heard the sound of children playing nearby on the farm, and she shouted, “I see the end!” 

On our spiritual journey, many times we want to take the path of least resistance. We may complain of being tired, and we seek something familiar. Since we did not have a map, I felt uncertain about each path we took. In our spiritual lives, our map is the word of God. I was reminded of 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.” 

Throughout the maze, there were many paths. There was a brief set of rules designated for the maze that specifically stated to stay on the established paths and not to try to cut across. I was firm with my daughters to stay within sight. A parent’s greatest desire is to have their child stay straight on their spiritual path. Although Daughter 1 was complaining, her attitude changed when she saw the path leading us out to safety. 

That’s how we feel at the end of a trial when we finally see the “light at the end of the tunnel.” However, if we trust in the Lord, He is always there to direct us. Acknowledging our Lord helps us to stay on the path that leads us out of the maze of our everyday lives and to the spiritual kingdom that awaits us.

This article has undergone ministry review and approval.