The Journey
I love to backpack. The journey itself is the adventure when you are hiking. I have hiked in a lot of different places, but one thing remains constant: I have never found a totally flat trail, and the weather has always brought sun and clouds. To travel any distance, I have encountered high spots and low spots, open fields and dense woods, easy walking and stretches I wished would be over quickly. Any place worth exploring has taken some work to get to.
Living a life turned over to God is no different. God wants to take me to a place worth going to. He created me for a plan and a purpose. He created me for a journey. There are peaks and valleys, plains and jungles, muddy stretches, and times when the bright sun dances all around me. I like the high and bright places, and I tend to not like the low and stormy parts.
When I am backpacking, I prepare for all the conditions I might encounter. In my pack are shorts and long pants, rain gear, a stocking cap, and even a swim suit. I know that traveling for a few days can bring just about anything my way. Even if the forecast says the entire trip will be dry and sunny, when I hit stormy weather, I am usually anticipating it at least enough to have thrown my rain jacket into my pack. When the rain starts, I deal with it and keep moving to that night's camp.
In my journey with God, I tend forget the basics of travel. When the sun is dancing all around me and the trail is flat and easy...when everything seems good...I tend to see that as God's approval of my journey, and His good guidance. But when things turn dark, I tend to start to believe something is broken between God and me. Maybe this trail doesn't go where I thought it was going?!
When hiking, the weather and trail conditions have no effect on where the trail leads to, they are simply part of the journey. I have confidence in this truth in the physical world, but it is easy to forget when following God. The accuser, God's enemy and my enemy, sneaks in at the stormy moments and tries to disconnect me from the one guiding me to the place worth going to. When given an opportunity, like a hard or stormy spot in life, satan will try to tell me either I have lost favor with God, or that God has cast me aside. These ideas are simply not true, ever. God is completely committed to you and me reaching the place He has designed us for, the realization of the dreams He fashioned our hearts for. His commitment is constant. We are the only variable in the equation. Because of free will, we can quit following any time, but God has already decided to call Himself "Father." God's commitment to me, and to you, is not dependent on the weather we are experiencing in our journey. The trail conditions are not a good indicator of the progress we are making or the reliability of the path.
The journey God has laid out for my life is real. It involves peaks and valleys, plains and bogs, sun and rain. The stormy and dark parts of life are necessary, and in hindsight, very good. It is the connection to God that makes the journey good. It is the truth of His character that makes the path reliable. It is the journey directed by Him in perfect wisdom that is the point of life.
Any trip worth taking is not all flat and easy. The enemy is a thief and a liar. He will use any opportunity to accuse God and me of things that are simply untrue. The stormy parts of life are not an indicator of God's presence. In fact, me choosing to undertake the journey with God is a guarantee of His presence. He is a good Father. He never abandons His kids halfway into the trek. He is faithful to take us the entire way to the future that we would hope for. Rain gear for this journey is the truth of His word. The map to the destination we are heading to is the conversation He longs for us to maintain with Him. The more I talk to Him, the more I keep my eyes trained on the map. He wants me looking at the map in the rain and the sunshine, confident that the weather doesn't change the trail.
I would never quit hiking, or doubt the destination of my trail, because of some bad weather. How much more can I trust the Author of my heart, and the journey He fashioned it for, regardless of the current trail conditions!
Psalm 37:22 For those blessed by Him shall inherit the earth, But those cursed by Him shall be cut off. 23 The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord, And He delights in his way. 24 Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down; For the Lord upholds him with His hand. 25 I have been young, and now am old; Yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken, Nor his descendants begging bread. 26 He is ever merciful, and lends; And his descendants are blessed. 27 Depart from evil, and do good; And dwell forevermore. 28 For the Lord loves justice, And does not forsake His saints; They are preserved forever, But the descendants of the wicked shall be cut off. 29 The righteous shall inherit the land, And dwell in it forever. 30 The mouth of the righteous speaks wisdom, And his tongue talks of justice. 31 The law of his God is in his heart; None of his steps shall slide. 32 The wicked watches the righteous, And seeks to slay him. 33 The Lord will not leave him in his hand, Nor condemn him when he is judged. 34 Wait on the Lord, And keep His way, And He shall exalt you to inherit the land; When the wicked are cut off, you shall see it. 35 I have seen the wicked in great power, And spreading himself like a native green tree. 36 Yet he passed away, and behold, he was no more; Indeed I sought him, but he could not be found. 37 Mark the blameless man, and observe the upright; For the future of that man is peace. 38 But the transgressors shall be destroyed together; The future of the wicked shall be cut off. 39 But the salvation of the righteous is from the Lord; He is their strength in the time of trouble. 40 And the Lord shall help them and deliver them; He shall deliver them from the wicked, And save them, Because they trust in Him.
Living a life turned over to God is no different. God wants to take me to a place worth going to. He created me for a plan and a purpose. He created me for a journey. There are peaks and valleys, plains and jungles, muddy stretches, and times when the bright sun dances all around me. I like the high and bright places, and I tend to not like the low and stormy parts.
When I am backpacking, I prepare for all the conditions I might encounter. In my pack are shorts and long pants, rain gear, a stocking cap, and even a swim suit. I know that traveling for a few days can bring just about anything my way. Even if the forecast says the entire trip will be dry and sunny, when I hit stormy weather, I am usually anticipating it at least enough to have thrown my rain jacket into my pack. When the rain starts, I deal with it and keep moving to that night's camp.
In my journey with God, I tend forget the basics of travel. When the sun is dancing all around me and the trail is flat and easy...when everything seems good...I tend to see that as God's approval of my journey, and His good guidance. But when things turn dark, I tend to start to believe something is broken between God and me. Maybe this trail doesn't go where I thought it was going?!
When hiking, the weather and trail conditions have no effect on where the trail leads to, they are simply part of the journey. I have confidence in this truth in the physical world, but it is easy to forget when following God. The accuser, God's enemy and my enemy, sneaks in at the stormy moments and tries to disconnect me from the one guiding me to the place worth going to. When given an opportunity, like a hard or stormy spot in life, satan will try to tell me either I have lost favor with God, or that God has cast me aside. These ideas are simply not true, ever. God is completely committed to you and me reaching the place He has designed us for, the realization of the dreams He fashioned our hearts for. His commitment is constant. We are the only variable in the equation. Because of free will, we can quit following any time, but God has already decided to call Himself "Father." God's commitment to me, and to you, is not dependent on the weather we are experiencing in our journey. The trail conditions are not a good indicator of the progress we are making or the reliability of the path.
The journey God has laid out for my life is real. It involves peaks and valleys, plains and bogs, sun and rain. The stormy and dark parts of life are necessary, and in hindsight, very good. It is the connection to God that makes the journey good. It is the truth of His character that makes the path reliable. It is the journey directed by Him in perfect wisdom that is the point of life.
Any trip worth taking is not all flat and easy. The enemy is a thief and a liar. He will use any opportunity to accuse God and me of things that are simply untrue. The stormy parts of life are not an indicator of God's presence. In fact, me choosing to undertake the journey with God is a guarantee of His presence. He is a good Father. He never abandons His kids halfway into the trek. He is faithful to take us the entire way to the future that we would hope for. Rain gear for this journey is the truth of His word. The map to the destination we are heading to is the conversation He longs for us to maintain with Him. The more I talk to Him, the more I keep my eyes trained on the map. He wants me looking at the map in the rain and the sunshine, confident that the weather doesn't change the trail.
I would never quit hiking, or doubt the destination of my trail, because of some bad weather. How much more can I trust the Author of my heart, and the journey He fashioned it for, regardless of the current trail conditions!
Psalm 37:22 For those blessed by Him shall inherit the earth, But those cursed by Him shall be cut off. 23 The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord, And He delights in his way. 24 Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down; For the Lord upholds him with His hand. 25 I have been young, and now am old; Yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken, Nor his descendants begging bread. 26 He is ever merciful, and lends; And his descendants are blessed. 27 Depart from evil, and do good; And dwell forevermore. 28 For the Lord loves justice, And does not forsake His saints; They are preserved forever, But the descendants of the wicked shall be cut off. 29 The righteous shall inherit the land, And dwell in it forever. 30 The mouth of the righteous speaks wisdom, And his tongue talks of justice. 31 The law of his God is in his heart; None of his steps shall slide. 32 The wicked watches the righteous, And seeks to slay him. 33 The Lord will not leave him in his hand, Nor condemn him when he is judged. 34 Wait on the Lord, And keep His way, And He shall exalt you to inherit the land; When the wicked are cut off, you shall see it. 35 I have seen the wicked in great power, And spreading himself like a native green tree. 36 Yet he passed away, and behold, he was no more; Indeed I sought him, but he could not be found. 37 Mark the blameless man, and observe the upright; For the future of that man is peace. 38 But the transgressors shall be destroyed together; The future of the wicked shall be cut off. 39 But the salvation of the righteous is from the Lord; He is their strength in the time of trouble. 40 And the Lord shall help them and deliver them; He shall deliver them from the wicked, And save them, Because they trust in Him.
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