Taking flight

Standing in my kitchen I watched out the window. The fledgling robin sat on the back of the patio chair and flapped its wings a few times. The parent perched nearby offering encouragement. “You can do it!” The parent flew to the back of the swing-set. The fledgling watched, tilted back it’s head, cried out. “It’s too hard, but I will try!” Turned to the parent. Flapped it’s wings. Took off, wobbly, and low to the ground, awkward. A short flight. Landed just under the swing-set. I was distracted by the kitchen responsibilities for a bit, but came back to the window a while later to see the fledgling atop the swing-set. I couldn’t help but smile and think, “Good for you, little one!” It started to rain, and the robin was hunched over on top of the swing-set, seemingly paralyzed by fear. Comfort and safety of the dry nest was in the tree only a few feet away. The adult flew nearby, offering encouragement again, “Trust me! You were made for this! Stretch out your wings and fly!”

Our heavenly Father is the same way with us. Nearby offering encouragement when we think life is too hard. We can look to him for that encouragement every time. Trust in what he says. He won’t lie to us. He knows our capabilities. We can trust in our abilities that He has gifted us with. Let’s not let fear paralyze us from taking off in flight. Our comfort and safety are in His will for us. He made us for a specific purpose. He gives us hopes, dreams, goals, missions, but we have to stretch out our wings, and trust that we were made to fly!