My mother once took two of her friends and hiked up Mt. Revelstoke to find the famed alpine meadows which flow from the banks of a beautiful glacial lake.
One of the friends quit halfway up the path, sitting down and declaring his resolve to wait there for them.
The two remaining pressed on, their aging bodies aching, only to come upon a swamp and a sad patch of grass. Disappointed almost to the point of disgust, they turned around and trudged back to their friend and on down to the parking lot.
When they compared notes with other hikers at the bottom they discovered, to their chagrin, they had stopped a few hundred yards shy of the goal. One can imagine the frustration of having come so close and missed the mark.
As a pastor, I have heard many people describe the results of their spiritual quest and many had a similar experience as my mother. They felt like they pushed beyond their comfort zones only to discover that things weren't what they had imagined.
But what if they had pushed on a little further? What if they would have worked past their objections and obstacles and discovered what so many of us have also found: A wonderful God who is beautiful beyond description. Perhaps I could encourage you to give it another try.
The promise from God given through Jeremiah the prophet was, "You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart." (Jeremiah 29:13)
