Goals often have the curious ability of making intelligent people feel stupid. Or at least a little bit silly. Most of us keep falling short of our goals because we treat them like destinations when they’re actually directions.

Every painful step is an opportunity for you to learn patience, to learn tolerance, to learn endurance, to develop your faith, to lean on Me, to take the next step when the next step seems scary or lonely or empty or pointless.

When life gets dark and dreary, when the clouds of discontent swell and burst hard upon you with so much utter violence and ferocity you can scarcely take it anymore, let this simple poem inspire you through the toughest parts of your most challenging moments.