Journey, not the Destination

I don’t like road trips.

Anything over an hour in the car is cringe-worthy. And it doesn’t matter if I’m driving or not. I just don’t enjoy being in a car for long periods of time.

I blame it on my impatience and lack of interest in the scenery. I don’t really care about looking at the green fields that pass by, blossoming flowers in the field, or even the mountains and the purplish-pink sunset. All that is beautiful once I see it  . . . at my destination.

I admit it. I’m guilty of being so focused on the destination that I don’t take the time to enjoy the journey. But how many of you know that when God wants you to see something, He knows how to get your attention? (I heard your “amen” virtually.)

I have been praying about a vision or better yet, a new destination for 2021. I had some great accomplishments in 2020 despite the challenges accompanied with the year but am now wanting to set my sights on a new goal. However, I’m coming up blank which means it may be time to slow down and appreciate the journey of where I’m at versus rushing to the next big thing.

Society would have us believe that it’s all about the destination and how fast we can get there. When I get X by the time I’m 30 years old, I will have made it. Or when I finally get Y, I’ll be positioned exactly where I want to be, as long as it’s before the age of 40. How about, when I finally create Z, I can check off that box and start on another goal.

What are your X, Y, Z goals? If you achieve them, then what?

We’re so focused on accomplishing our goals, we don’t take the time to breathe and experience whatever God wants us to see or do on the path to that goal. The experience of the journey is meant to prepare us for whatever He has planned for us. You don’t want to get to the next step and realize you didn’t develop the skills necessary to stay there. Did your experiences teach you how to manage that new business, communicate with that new boss, or properly juggle those new responsibilities? Or were you so busy rushing to the destination, trying to impress social media, or have bragging rights that you didn’t learn anything from the journey?

When we fail to absorb the lessons from the various trials that pop up or apply the learnings from what we encounter, we may mishandle the requirements of the next stage while also missing out on an opportunity to help someone else in the process.

Your journey is not just for you.

The sole reason for getting that new position could have been so you could pour into someone else and help them get a better job. The purpose of your single season could be to show a younger person how to be content in Christ and not give in to the lustful behaviors seen in mainstream media. Someone is always watching you. Therefore, your journey could be meant to teach you and others about the faithfulness of Jesus Christ. But if your only focus is on the destination, you’ll miss the opportunity to be the light in the dark.

Think about the parable of the Good Samaritan from the gospel of Luke. Jesus said the Samaritan was on a journey when he came upon a man who was left for half dead. When the Samaritan saw the man on the side of the road, he felt compassion (Luke 10:33). He helped the injured man and ensured he could safely recover.

We don’t know the Samaritan’s destination. All we know is that he was on a journey and while on his journey, he was used to save another man’s life. A man whom he normally wouldn’t have interacted with or had any business with another day. His willingness to veer off his path put him in a position to be used by God.

You can also look at Simon, the Cyrene, who helped Jesus carry his cross on the way to crucifixion. Cyrene was a city in northern Africa and Simon had a vision for where he wanted to go. The Roman soldiers pressed him to carry the cross, interrupting his journey to bear the cross of our Savior. He didn’t look like the people in that area and we don’t know where his final destination was. Yet, he was an aid to the Son of God in His human moment.

Both men were not setting out to save or help anyone. They had a destination in mind but were taken off their paths to impact someone else. Because they were open to interruption and deferred timelines, their names are forever apart of history, influencing people beyond their generation.

Go back to those X, Y, Z goals you have in life. Would you be willing to surrender the timeline and path you have planned so your journey can be used for the greater good? There may be an opportunity to be used by Him while impacting generations to come. Don’t miss the beauty of seeing God transform hearts while imprinting His love on another.

I implore you to release your expectations on when and how you should reach that destination. Instead, I pray you experience the Godly beauty of the winding roads, deep rains, green grass, bitter winds, and blossoming flowers that make up our journey. Your story may inspire others for years to come.