Journey versus destination

Whenever we are on a journey, whether between two places or on the journey of life, I think it is very important that we not only keep the destination in mind but also make the most of the adventure. Too much focus on either of these to the detriment of the other can cause us to live an unbalanced life.

If all we have in mind is the destination then we get so little joy from our travels and we may not make the most of the adventure.  If our focus is on the journey and we forget our destination, it is very easy to get lost.

We were once travelling between two places in Britain and instead of using the easy but unexciting motorway, we went cross country. It was a wonderful journey, full of interest and beautiful scenery but we had to keep our destination in mind.  If we had forgotten where we were going, we would have had a wonderful journey until we realised we were hopelessly lost.

The same can happen on the journey of life.  So many Christians are enjoying the journey, concentrating on the ups and downs of life, growing in their knowledge of God but with so little focus on where they are going.  Heaven is our destination. This is what gives meaning to the journey. Knowing that we are going to spend eternity in a perfect world with a God who loves us more than we will ever know, should change our whole perspective of life.

 I am always surprised by Christians’ reaction to death. Many do not want to talk about it but death is the doorway to a wonderful eternal life. Of course we grieve when a loved one dies but Paul says we ‘do not grieve like the rest of mankind without hope’ (I Thessalonians 4:13). Our loved ones (if they are Christians) are with Jesus rejoicing with him; no more tears or pain.  That is good news which should change the way we grieve.

Every person has a final destination and many non Christians do not want to think about this. They are fearful of death and what will happen.  They have no hope but one of our highest callings after loving the Lord with all our heart, soul and mind is to share the good news that no one need fear death if they have given their lives to him. 

On the other hand, only focusing on heaven means we may rush through life missing so many wonderful opportunities and life experiences; some of which are hard but always worth it.  God did not call us to an easy life, he called us to walk with him, growing more and more like him each day. The journey will always be of great value because Jesus is with us.

So as Christians I believe we should be keeping in balance the value of the journey whilst always keeping our wonderful destination in mind. One without the other leads us to an unbalanced life.

Lord I want to ask you to help me make the most of my life’s journey, enjoying the experiences and valuing and benefitting from every circumstance both good and bad. However Lord help me also never to lose the focus on my wonderful destination – spending eternity with you in heaven. May the joy of that destination flood my life so that I live my journey with hope and expectation. In Jesus Name Amen. 

Accepting ourselves and others on the journey

Continue to work out your salavtion with fear and trembling  Philippians 2: 12

I watched a video on You Tube recently from a Stoneleigh Bible Week in 1998. It stirred up happy memories of these times but also made me realise how much I have changed since then. God has been doing a wonderful work of healing and restoration and things that I struggled with then are no longer an issue.

However it also made me realise that I would not like the person I was then very much and it made me realise afresh what wonderful grace God has for each one of us. He is not fazed by where we are, as he can see where we are going.  All he wants is our cooperation through joyful obedience to let him work out our salvation with fear and trembling.

I think too often we can be afraid of what God wants to do or what may be required of us. However the God who loves us more than we will ever really understand does not want us bound by the hurts of the past but liberated to walk in freedom with him.

As ever, it comes down to trusting God that he knows best and will never hurt us.  His plans are always for our good and if he is asking us to walk through something that he knows we find hard, he is with us every step of the way. He will give us the strength to come through it.

God is always telling me not to be so hard on myself and to accept myself as he accepts me. This should also of course be applied to other people.  As we realise that we are all on a journey and that God loves and accepts us as we are, where we are, he will also give us the grace to accept others where they are as well.

No one has arrived and no one is perfect but as God unravels the hurts, pains, disappointments and failures of the past it brings us into greater freedom and ability to love others.  We are all works in progress and I love seeing the wonderful things that God has done in people’s lives.

The Apostle Paul was only too aware of his past and of how God had rescued him from a religious, legalistic, persecuting past and turned those things which the devil had used for harm into the very things that are a great blessing to us today. We have the testimony of Paul to encourage us and the teachings of Paul to instruct us. Paul’s mind bound up in religion and legalism when liberated by God became a well spring for much of the Christian theology and church practise that we use and understand today.  Paul’s letters have become the foundation for the Church.

It is truly wonderful what God does in the believer’s heart and life as we trust and obey him. So do not be discouraged if you do not feel you are making progress, but accept the journey that you are on.  In the same way accept others who are also on their journeys and give grace to both them and yourselves.