Fix the fix I am in!

Most of us would think of a journey as a time of adventure and discovery.  It is a crossing from one place into another - maybe not permanently, but it can be experienced and enjoyed nonetheless.  To others, it is a quest of sorts - a mission to accomplish something such as crossing a dream off of your "bucket list" of things to do someday.  If we view a journey as "destination-bound" movement, we kind of think of it as a way of getting from where we are to where we might want to be.  If we view it as somewhat of a "dream", we might never really make much movement toward it, right?  The truth of the matter is that a journey is anything we do or think which helps us pass from one place or state to another. If we take actual steps, leaps, or bounds to get from here to there, it is probably more of a physical journey.  If we prepare mentally and spend time in study, it may be a little bit of a journey in thought resulting in development of thought. If we add some "spiritual discovery" into the mix, we find ourselves growing on many planes while moving from one place or position in life into another!  I don't refer to "spiritual discovery" in a mystical sense, though, but more as a movement which involves the development of our faith, trust, and deeper love for Jesus!

If you don’t have all the wisdom needed for this journey, then all you have to do is ask God for it; and God will grant all that you need. He gives lavishly and never scolds you for asking. (James 1:5 VOICE)

The important thing for us to remember is a journey is somewhat of an "unknown" - we set out on it without always having the full revelation of what we will see, experience, or learn along the way.  We place our trust in what we understand about the journey and then launch into it.  The good news is that we don't have to take the journey alone, or in our own strength, wisdom, or power.  We can simply ask God for the wisdom we need for the "movement" and he will provide it!  As with all "movement" in life, there is somewhat of a shift from where we are at that moment.  What we experience in the journey we take when God is the one empowering us for the journey is a little bit of a "shift" in our trust - we move from relying upon what we know or believe will get us to where we hope to be, to reliance upon the one who has prepared the destination for us.

One thing I have learned in life is that I don't possess all the knowledge, strength, or power I need for the journey!  I may have thought that I did on occasion, launching off with total reliance upon my own wisdom to get me through.  It didn't end well!  There is much more "safety" and "protection" when we have the Lord's perspective and his provision along the way!  Now, did I learn that overnight?  Nope!  Did I have to take a few "failed journeys" in life before I finally got it?  Yep! Did that make me look a little foolish in the end?  Yep!  Am I ashamed to admit I took some missteps?  Nope!  Why?  I know that even in ending up at the "wrong destination" I was able to get something out of the journey!  I think this is important for all of us to recognize because we have all somehow taken journeys to destinations which were clearly not the ones God intended for us and we did it without even consulting him about it.  These "wrong destinations" don't have to define us or bring us any shame in life.  They only help to bring us to a better understanding of our utter dependence upon Jesus!

To be truthful here, I have arrived at some destinations which proved to be absolutely "wrong" for my life, and instead of just trying to "fix" the "fix" I found myself in, I have often just sat there and cried my eyes out to God, ashamed of having arrived at that destination, but not too ashamed to ask for his help to get myself out of it!  I like what James says:  "He gives lavishly and never scolds you for asking."  What I what us to say in those moments of realizing the "fix" we are in is: "Thank you, Lord, for not scolding us when we admit we have failed miserably or gone out on our own in this journey of life! Thank you for embracing us, helping us to "regroup", and setting us on right paths once again!  Thank you for helping us move beyond our shame over the failure into a place where we recognize we are forgiven and set right in your sight!"  It might not be the easiest thing to forgive ourselves, but when we realize we are forgiven by the one who loves us more than anyone else in this entire world - we get there!  Just sayin!

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