How cliché is that?
BUT…how true is that? Life's
a journey, not a destination. .
When I first moved to Boston, I used to get so frustrated
getting around the city, mostly I would get frustrated at the amount of time it
would take me to get from point A to point B. From class to home, from my
friend's apartment to a coffee shop, from the Trader Joe's to my kitchen; everything was at least a twenty to thirty minute walk
through the city in snow, rain or sun. Walking is the way of life there, it is
the only way to get from point A to point B with the occasional option of
utilizing public transit, rain or shine, freezing or sweltering. Many times as
I made these journeys, I would find myself thinking only about my destination:
how much further from this landmark or that landmark, how nice it would be once
I got there (to point B), how nice it would be to get out of this weather once
I arrived, I can finally rest or unwind when I get there, what am I going to do
when I get there…etc. As I thought all this, I would find myself getting
frustrated at the amount of time it would take me to get there, to get to my
destination. I wasted a lot of time
walking around Boston thinking only about my destination, giving no thought or
consideration to the journey from point A to point B, no thought or
consideration to my present environment and surroundings. Time wasted.
BUT, the time I spent commuting those handful of miles each
day was not time wasted, unless I made
the choice to waste it. Unless I chose to waste it by thinking about the
destination and how much further I had to go until I reached it, or my mental
to do lists for upon arrival… instead of enjoying the time spent outside taking
in my surroundings, the beauty of the seasons and people around me. Interacting
with the world around me, that is not time wasted. How many opportunities have
I missed to "build the kingdom" on my journeys throughout Boston, how
many walks have I wasted thinking only about the destination?
How much of our lives do we waste by thinking about only our
destinations, our 'next steps' and planning our futures?
When we are kids, everyone asks "What do you want to be
when you grow up?" No one ever asks, "What do you want to do while
you grow up?" That seems like an odd question, doesn't it? But the truth
is, we don't ever really 'grow up', we never reach that specific end-point moment
and realize, ok, now I am all grown up, I have finally arrived at my
destination, now I can stop walking. Life isn't like that, is it? Life truly is
a journey. A journey of doing, while
we grow up, while we mature. So, the question still stands, why do we waste so
much time thinking about the destination and spend so little time enjoying the
world around us? Why are we so concerned about the future, and less concerned
about living in the present moment?
"Let your eyes
look directly ahead and let your gaze be fixed straight in front of you. Watch
the path of your feet and all your ways will be established. Do not turn to the
right nor to the left; turn your foot from evil." Proverbs 4:25-27
This verse of wisdom tells us not to worry about the
destination, but instead focus on the path before us, focus on the journey and
the steps we are currently taking. Focus on the journey of doing, while we make
our way to our destination.
Jesus is unique. He
lived His life as a journey, cherishing each day, person, moment and
circumstance that crossed His path. He kept His gaze fixed straight in
front of Him looking the prostitute in her eyes, watching the disciples as they
put to practice the words He had just preached, and making eye contact with the
man on the mat before Him and not distracted by the large crowds looking on. He
kept His feet on the path He was on, undistracted by thoughts of the future or
temptations to the right and left of Him. He focused on the journey, not the
destination. He knew His destination, was confident in where He was going to
the point He never had need to worry about it. All of us living in Christ, we too
know our destination. We can be confident in the fact that Christ died for us,
we get to spend eternal life in heaven with His presence; that is our
ultimate destination.
As Christians, why do we spend much of our life worrying
about that? Worrying about where our life is going and what is going to come
next? We know where our path leads by following Christ, we need not worry about
the curves or mountains or valleys up ahead…we need only focus on the journey,
on the path straight before us.
Jesus was confident in His destination, AND enjoyed the
journey. Each person that He encountered, He encountered and didn't turn up His
radio or consume His eyes with His smartphone and tune out. He loved everyone around Him no matter what
the day's agenda held. He up and dropped everything to go and raise Lazarus
from the dead (John 11), was willing to go to the centurion's house to heal his
servant, though He didn't know Him (Luke 7). He chose to continue spending time
teaching where He was opposed to ditching the eager students for His biological
family (Matthew 12). Jesus was willing to let go of the day's plans and just DO. He lived the journey, knowing His
destination was secure. He did not waste any time as He got from point A to
point B.
What if I walked the streets of Boston like that? Knowing I will
get to my destination and focusing on the path before me, the people and
circumstances surrounding me on my journey from point A to point B. What
If I let go of my daily agenda and instead of wasting my life by creating
mental to dos, responded to the path under my feet, responded to the
circumstances, people and moments around me giving each all of my attention,
thought and prayers? Living life as a journey allows us to stop
planning life, and start living it, start responding to the circumstances God
has placed around us for HIS purpose and glory.
What if we lived our lives like Jesus? Knowing we will get
to our destination, but kept our focus solely on the path under our feet?
"Man's steps are
ordained by the Lord, how then can man understand his way?" Proverbs
20:24
So, let me ask you, since "life's a journey, not a destination:" What are you going to do while
you grow up? What are you going to do...right now?
