"The Journey"
So, let's talk about this journey that we call "life". If life is looked at as a journey, are we all on the same road?
My thoughts are "no". I believe we are all on a road, but not necessarily the same one.
I'm pretty sure that some of the people I'm closest to are not traveling in the same direction as I am. The other thing that I'm pretty sure of is that some people I don't know....some people I love....some people I don't even like.....ARE on the same road. The problem is we just don't look the same.
Here's what I'm talking about:
When I first began working at the non-profit I work at now (over six years ago), we use to have this survey sheet where we would ask people these questions. I personally felt it was very intrusive, but I asked anyway and I learned alot about people.
One of the questions was:
Do you have a relationship with God?
Then:
Do you attend church?
Interesting thing....many...I would even say MOST people answered the first question in the affirmative, but answered the second question with a resounding "NO!"
The usual reason was because people in church were hypocrites. My answer to that was usually that people in grocery stores were hypocrites, too, but I still go shopping for food. I don't think I would use this come back anymore. My view of these people has changed. I try not to judge them.
Because, really, is it more important to go to church....or to have a relationship with God?
Who are we to judge what that relationship with God looks like? If were are all on a journey called "Life" are we all in the same place?
Talk about a massive traffic jam!
If we are not in the same place, I don't think our spiritual lives will look the same. Ten years ago I was in a different place on my journey than I am now. It wasn't a bad place, it was a different place. I've moved onto a new place, but somewhere there is someone in the same place now as I was ten years ago. Can I look at them and say "Wow....they need to get it together."
YIKES! I would have been really offended if I knew someone was thinking that about me. And yet, I've heard people in the church say these very things about people who don't attend church.
Or they may say (my personal favorite) "That person needs spirituality!"
If these are your thoughts....then what you don't know about spirituality is alot!
Because these people don't sit in a service on Sunday mornings for an hour or so and sing songs about or to Jesus, they must not be "saved". (this concept, by the way, is sometimes really abused by the church).
Here's a newsflash....
There was a time that I didn't attend church and I thought about God all of the time. I talked to Him. I asked Him questions. I prayed. And yet, I didn't even know what it meant to be "saved".
I had a relationship with Him. I was quite spiritual.
Now mind you, I didn't know anyone at the time who was saved who could help me to find my way closer to God. I didn't have someone showing me the richness of the Bible. When I looked at the Bible, it was like reading a foreign language. So I didn't read it. I just wanted to know God.
Then one day someone told me God loved me and wanted to live in my heart.
Really? Seriously? THE God? Loved ME?
Hey...if The God wants to live in my heart? I'm for it!
That's pretty much what it was like. I then met people who loved me like God loved me and gently (at least sometimes it was gentle) lead me and guided me on this journey I'm on now. Sometimes, they really weren't gentle and it really put me on paths that were difficult. Sometimes I chose those paths for myself. But this is a "JOURNEY"...right? The scenery is going to change. The road will not always be straight and even. Many times it will be rocky and hilly and mountainous. Sometimes we'll be wandering around valleys or caves or tunnels. But it's MY journey. Everyone has their OWN journey.
Some of those people (the ones that were sometimes gentle and sometimes...not gentle?) have moved to different spots on the journey and I don't see them any more. But God has given me other comrades that I travel with and learn with and it's always an adventure. And it should be.
But NOT everyone is THERE. And that's good.
The last I heard, God is everywhere. So He's with them...wherever they are. He holds our hands and helps all of us maneuver the rocks and mountains, He's next to us in the caves and tunnels, He's walking with us in the valleys. And if ever our paths should meet, I don't feel like I have to pull those others off of their road and drag them to mine. Unless God leads them there, I could just love them where they are and maybe even travel with them for awhile.
But I feel I need to respect where they are and even enjoy where they are and maybe God will let me watch and enjoy their journey. And maybe we could enjoy our journeys together!
