In Seattle, between the saltwater of Puget Sound and the fresh water of Lake Washington, are the Hiram M. Chittenden Locks (which locals call the "Ballard Locks"). Because the two bodies of water are at different levels, there is a series of locks between them for ships to pass through, and to keep salt and fresh waters in their places. However, this is also the path that salmon need to take in order to go upstream and spawn to thrive as a species. So, a "fish ladder" was constructed for the salmon to safely make the journey through the locks (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hiram_M._Chittenden_Locks#Fish_ladder). For the fish ladder to work for salmon, the flow of water has to be rapid. The strength of the flow plus the smell of the fresh water it carries attract to the salmon to make their way up the ladder.
The engineers had to make the steps of the ladder just the right height - too shallow and flow is not rapid enough. Too steep, and the fish can't make the leap from step to step. It has to be just the right height. The result is that it's a hard leap to get from one level to the next. Through the observation window below the water level, you can watch the fish and see that they often have to rest up before making the next step. It takes several failed attempts before they successfully get to the next level.Although I'm having trouble verifying this claim, when we toured the locks, we were told that the fish ladder also needed to have the steps be this difficult because if the ladder was too easy, the salmon would not build up enough strength for the rest of the journey and for the spawning. So, in order for them to thrive, this journey has to be difficult, marked with many failures. (As as the salmon can sniff out the fresh water, you can probably sniff out where I'm going with this by now.)
Our lives are filled with difficult challenges, where it can feel like we're going against the flow of life. There are seemingly impossible levels to climb, and we sometimes fail many times before we're able to get past the challenge. As as soon as we do, wham! There's another challenge waiting for us, daring us to fail. But what the challenges are providing for us is strength conditioning for the rest of the journey. In fact, it's the only way we can thrive. If the journey was too easy, we wouldn't have the strength to finish it.We are a fallen race. Our great struggles are the discipline for our rebellion. But, by grace, these challenges exist, because they strengthen us and purify us. James 1:2-4 says, Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.
We often pray for life to be easier. But if God granted all those requests, He would be removing the very things that are designed to strengthen and purify us for our journeys. Rather than praying for an easier life, we should pray for a stronger, purer life. And then embrace challenges as God's answer to those prayers.
It's not that we invite difficulty. But if we really trust that God knows what He's doing, and that He's really in control, then we can trust what James tells us. God knows just the right height to make each of your challenges. May the fish ladders of your life make you strong and pure for the duration of the journey ahead of you.
