The Journey
What do we need most for the journey during times of upheaval? We need to stay on the journey.
When I first worked with the homeless, I expected it to be hard facing their hunger, their failing health, their dirty clothes, their vulnerability to the elements. Here’s what was the hardest: their resignation.
When you look into the eyes of someone who has lost hope, you are looking into a soul who has abandoned the journey.
Pushing ahead on the journey generates a sense of energy, excitement, forward thinking—anything but resignation. Something is always around the corner when we're on the journey. Anticipation fills our spirit, helps us become smarter, more adept and vibrantly alive in a way that makes us more valuable assets in our own lives.
During the unpredictable days ahead, we will begin a new part of our journey. We will need to keep an open mind and a willingness to learn. We will need to pay close attention to what happens on the trail. And we will need sustenance—the bread and water of wisdom and encouragement from others.
"This is what the Lord says: 'Stand at the crossroads and look;
ask for the ancient paths, ask where the good way is, and walk in it,
and you will find rest for your souls.'"
Jeremiah 6:16
Step Strong!
The journey doesn't give us license to jump off the deep end. It isn't about a motorcycle ride into oblivion. Anyone who has journeyed without plans or calculations knows how empty that can be.
Action Idea
Find a journal. Use it everyday to capture your thoughts and experiences.
Questions for Reflection and Journaling
Whose company would you like to have on the journey?
What frightens you about seeing your vocation in terms of a journey rather than a career destination?
During the 2008 Recession, Sam wrote a devotional about his experiences, called 40 Profound Concepts . He is now adapting these thoughts as they relate to our current global health crisis.