Traveling.
Seeing the world.
Immersing yourself in other cultures.
In this day and age, traveling is held in very high esteem. Study abroad programs are burgeoning. Pinterest boards are dedicated to picturesque, far-off lands and colorful markets. And I’m pretty sure backpacking around Europe is the modern day pilgrimage. We’ve all seen the Instagram photos and craved the adventure.
Well, so far I’ve white water rafted on the Nile River in Uganda, rode motos around Kigali, and worked in a clinic in an Ethiopian village. I’ve sat cross-legged on the floors of countless Indian women’s homes, compiling interviews so they can achieve their dreams. I’ve hiked through the Himalayas to spread the gospel, eaten the sketchiest street food ever in Phnom Penh, and floated in a lagoon off the coast of Thailand.
Sounds pretty cool, right?
It is. 🙂
However, I think there’s a perception of travel that is a little misunderstood. The underlying assumption in the idea of “seeing the world” is that exposure to so much more is going to bring an overwhelming sense of clarity. Clarity to identity of self and to how the world works. It’s going to bring a perspective that makes life have meaning. At least I think that’s what Julia Roberts set out to do in Eat, Pray, Love.
Not that there’s no truth to those assumptions, but in my experience I haven’t found them to be foolproof results. The freaking awesome list of things that I’ve done is a mere glimpse into what my life has been for the past 8 months. They’re just highlights, and the kind of romantic transformation that people crave from travel forgets the rats, the overnight layovers, the language barriers, and the constant unfamiliarity. Seeing more of the world has probably left me with less clarity and more questions.
That being said, I am different. I know better who I am and what I want. I am more grateful and compassionate and open-minded. I love more deeply and speak more confidently. But this transformation was not brought on by “seeing the world,” but by intimacy with the Father.
The adventure that you crave, the anticipation, the urge to go, the hope for something more—it’s not found in the world. You can search far and wide, but no person, no place, and no experience is ever truly going to scratch that itch.
If you want adventure, God created it. He embodies it. If you want “more,” that’s a desire placed in your heart by him, to be truly fulfilled only in him. If you want to find yourself, look no further. We do not find our true self by seeking it, but by seeking God. If you want clarity, look to the creator, not to the created. If you want “it,” if you want passion, if you want fire, it’s yours for the taking—it’s called the Holy Spirit. If you want happiness, you might find some of it in the world. But if you want joy in every circumstance, that’s found in Jesus.
These statements aren’t just my theories, they’re my experiences. Society over-romanticizes travel. Just like anything else, it falls short of what we want it to be. But God makes some pretty big promises, and he keeps them. He IS truly all we need and all we want. He goes above and beyond, not only offering us salvation, but abundant life. Relationship with Jesus is the adventure of a lifetime. And it’s cheaper than a plane ticket.
“I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” –Jesus, John 10:10
