I’ve always loved adventure. I grew up reading great stories like the Chronicles of Narnia, The Hobbit, and The Lord of The Rings. I love movies about epic journeys and far away lands. Indiana Jones was my hero for many years!
Missionaries have some of the BEST stories. Stories about things that REALLY happened. It wasn’t fantasy like so many of the books and movies I grew up with. Amazing, crazy things really do happen to ordinary people. I had listened to enough missionaries and read enough of their books to know this truth. And I’ve always wanted to be one of those people with a great adventure to tell about!
But I had forgotten one very important thing about adventure, and especially adventures with God: it’s all a process.
Setting out on an adventure you think about the beginning and you imagine what the end will be like. You seldom consider the middle. But the middle is the most difficult part of the whole journey. I once heard it referred to as “the painful in between” and I think that’s fitting. It’s the place between “I’m going to do this thing!” and “I’ve finally arrived!”
Another good name for it: WORK. Just plain old work. Long hours, frustration, sacrifice. No one likes to remember this part of the journey. Yet it is just as vital as the beginning and the end.
The middle is exactly where I find myself now on this adventure called the World Race. I’m ready to GO. Put me on a plane tomorrow, I will email my goodbyes. Anything I forget can be found along the way or done without! That’s how I feel right now.
Instead, I am still working my normal job and living my normal life. I get to wait and FUNDRAISE and continue wondering how I’m going to fit my ENTIRE life into a backpack. Why is waiting always a part of these things???
One of my favorite Bible stories is the story of Joseph. Joseph and all his spectacular dreams for the future. Joseph dreamed of doing great things, of being someone important. He didn’t ask for these dreams, God chose to give them to him.
Joseph got excited about the things that God showed him about his future (who wouldn’t?). I wonder how excited he would have been if God had showed him the path required to get there. Doing great things requires great sacrifice.
Joseph went through what seems like a ridiculous amount of trouble on his journey. He was sold into slavery, thrown into prison on false accusations, forgotten, abused, betrayed, and deemed untrustworthy. Not exactly the importance he dreamed of.
But it was all part of the journey, part of the process to becoming who God wanted him to be. At the end of it all, Joseph saw his dreams become reality. He was one of the greatest leaders in the known world. He saved his entire family and became a forefather to the nation of Israel.
Process is important to God. Even the middle! In fact, the process is just as important to Him as the end result. Because our Father cares more about our hearts than about our accomplishments.
The middle is the place where God prepares our hearts and teaches us new things. The painful in between is where we truly begin to love and trust Him no matter what.
We go through many different journeys and processes in our lives. Where are you all at? What adventure does God have you on? What new things has He been showing you?
PLEASE COMMENT!
