What Bilbo Didn't Know

I was thinking today about where I am what my goals are. Then this thought came to me, Your horizons are changing. I had to say it to myself several times before I understood it. There's only one way for a horizon to change and that's because you move. If you're not moving anywhere, the scene is static. But climb a hill and see the difference. Or walk down a hill.

It reminded me of a scene in The Hobbit where Bilbo climbs a tree to see how long it will take them to get out of a forest. When he gets to the top, all he sees is an endless horizon of treetops and he becomes very discouraged. What he doesn't know is that the tree he climbed is the lowest of all the trees around him. He's at the bottom of a bowl and the edge of the forest is really very close, he just can't see it.

Your perspective of your horizon can play tricks on you. The secret is to know where you are, and you do that by staying close to the One who is guiding you. Once you start to stray, you can fall into the Bilbo effect and lose hope. On the other hand, if you know where you're going and the horizon changes, it could be because you're seeing it from a higher position.

I know it's all words, words, words, but someone out there gets this. Your horizons are changing, and it's a good thing. It may seem like you're struggling, but that's because you're climbing higher and getting out of the rut. Stop, take a deep breath, and look around. Looks good, huh!