To which I reply in the rich and lasting tradition of all fathers everywhere, “No, I’m not lost. I know exactly where I am. I just can’t find where we are supposed to be…”
And it was true.
I knew the area we were in, but it didn’t look like I remembered it. We had been at the same Doctor’s office just a week before, but this time, it wasn’t making sense.
I knew where I was… and I knew where I needed to be… but I didn’t know why they weren’t the same place.
As soon as I replied to Emma, it started to dawn on me that there was another truth happening in those words.
I think it’s an apt description of any average spiritual roadmap. We know where we are, we’re aware of the familiar surroundings and we, mostly, know how we got there. From apathy to addiction, dignity to depression, the lowest to the highest and the best to the worst, wherever we are… if we’re honest with ourselves, we know how we got there. Whether it’s our responsibility or not is another blog post for another writer, but we generally know how we got wherever it is that we are.
And then there’s where we want to be, which is a completely different question.
Where DO we want to be?
Maybe we want to be more spiritually aware or available to God. Maybe we want to be more comfortable with this gift or that responsibility. Maybe we want to learn what it means to love more, or better. Maybe we want to be more patient and less impulsive. Maybe we want to live more faithfully. We want to read more, study more, live better in community, be more generous, be less controlling, let go of things that hold us back, or reject our destructive behaviors.
Wherever we want to be, we must first be aware of where we are. Then, we must work faithfully in partnership with God to find the way to where we ought to be.
If you are lost, or even if you know right where you are and it’s just not quite where you want to be, here are some directions that will help you get there.
- Pray Often – A successful prayer life is used frequently. It’s not a last resort, it’s a first response. It’s consistent and not cliché.
- Listen Closely – The kindergarten adage is true. Our mouths and ears do not both function at once. Make time and space for God’s voice to become apparent to you.
- Respond Obediently – If we pray and listen, the Spirit will guide. It’s a time-honored, Biblically established pattern for the believer.
- Surrender Fully – Be willing to give to God. Your worst habits AND your best talents. Your struggles AND your strengths. You’d be amazed what He can and will do when we give Him everything.
- Share Freely – Every blessing is an overflow. Everything that any of us are given is more than enough for us. Give away so you can receive and give even more away.