Is it an Obstacle or a Blessing?

Why do we put handrails around a deck that is only 4' off the ground? Is it an obstacle or a blessings? Both.

Why do we put steps up to decks and rooms? Each step is an obstacle we have to overcome. Are they blessings or just a problem we hate?

Why do we put windows, insulation and doors in a house? They are also obstacles, to keep the elements out. What a blessing!

Why do we as parents put gates across the stairway when our children are just toddlers? Why do we take certain freedoms away from our kids when they get older? Just to be mean?

All of the 10 Commandments are there for our own good. Some of them are obstacles God wants us to put in our own way, to protect us. Example: coveting will cause heartache and pain, so don't even let yourself think about wanting something someone else has.  Others are to help keep our mind on what is most important.  Example: using God's name loosely downgrades Him in our own eyes.

Be thankful for the obstacles! God loves us enough to give us flat tires, airport delays and road construction when it is for our own good. We hate them when they happen, but what a blessing they really are!  Trust Him to do the right thing in your life, and don't forget to thank Him for putting those things in your way.

There isn't another promise in all the world as huge as this: