Journey

Dr. Stephen Covey put it quite well… to live, love, learn and leave a legacy. My life is a spiral of my hands trying to catch up with my head; the present striving to catch up with the future; today striving to apprehend tomorrow. I want to be the person that my head believes that I should be, and my journey is fuelled by that knowledge and confidence that I can. If I can think it, I can be it. I can connect all those dots from my past, and the experiences that God in His sovereignty has passed me through. This blesses me in two ways. In the first instance, I feel restless because I sense that something is happening to me that is beyond my own present comprehension. I am being prepared for a day, a season, a work, that I presently am not matured enough or otherwise ready to comprehend. On a higher level, it excites me that I am in a position of hope, in that there is something presently beyond me that is better than me and yet, is me. I am presently an unfinished puzzle, an incomplete drawing, a blueprint of something bigger and better.

Scripture aptly captures the exciting adventure that is our journey – a journey of faith, patience, with a knowing that all creation is expectantly contemplating your walk, hopefully frowning at every wrong turn and urging you on the right. The beauty of life is only truly experienced at the culmination of one’s journey. I Corinthians 13:12 is a testimony of Paul’s vision of his own journey: “Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known” (NIV). What I see today is of insignificant value compared to what I shall behold when I fully know, as I am fully known. In truth, when I fully know, I will see Christ face to face, and will realise that I look like Him. I therefore cannot afford the stupidity of feeling comfortable or esteemed in my present state of ignorance and distorted sightedness, even if it looks apparently attractive or successful. If I win the lottery or run into a string of fortunate and blessed incidents or experiences, I will be grateful but remain unsatisfied. Like Abraham I will stay put in a tent even when I can afford a mansion. Like Daniel I would refuse the King’s meat if it will represent a compromise to the quality of my journey. Like David I would be looking for the opportunity to sacrifice, rather than seek the most cost-effective or bargain deal with God! I would prefer to be His prisoner than my own free man – anything to keep my gaze up above and not around me; anything to keep my feet moving and my heart burning for eternal satiation: looking for a house that isn’t made with mortal hands. Looking for ‘me’, as was written and breathed before time began.

Nothing beats the journey of self discovery.