I told y’all I’d give you a follow up on what God focused on teaching me while in quarantine. So here it is!
My squad of 10 (soon to be 11 <3) is all staying in the same house with our coaches at the moment. During the wait to see if I had Covid or not, my squad remained in quarantine in the house while I was isolated to a room. I didn’t really leave except to go to the bathroom and walk around outside the wilderness of Monument, CO. I was more or less confined to my room. All the while, my squad continued with there activities and shenanigans in the living room just on the other side of my jail room door. (Yes, I will be dramatic during this tale)
They continued with the laughter, dance parties, sing along, games, teachings, and whatever miscellaneous but joyous activity you could fit in there. Throughout all this tomfoolery and nonsensical nonsense, I remained on the other side of this door. This pristine white door that I’m pretty sure resembled jail bars at one point or another. Not modern bars, but ones you’d see in midevil times with a torch beside it. Heheheheh.
Anyway! This entire time my thoughts seemed to trace back to this one thing, “If only I could get to the other side of that door, then….” Everything would be better; I’d have everything I need; it’ll be such a different experience; I’ll be satisfied. It is funny what things our minds come up with when we give it sometime to wander. The truth is, I had everything I needed right where I was. People would bring food to me, I had water, I had internet, or connection with the outside world, and I had books and my Bible to keep me going. However, my mind still went back to, “If only I could get on the other side of that door.”
I think we all have a door in our lives. We all have some milestone that once we hit it everything will change for the better! For students or intellectuals, if I only get past this class, if I only get finished with this degree, if I only finish this dissertation, then I’ll be able to enter into a new caliber of study that excels my intellectual prowess above others. For salesmen, if only I hit this next quota, if only I outperform the entire office, if only I seel more than anyone in the history of the company, then my career will jump me to new luxuries most could never imagine. For athletes, if only I hit that weight, if only I get my numbers up to that next mark, if only I win a national title, then I will experience the amount of accomplishment needed for true contentment.
Not only are all of these “doors” just bound to lead to another once you get through it, but they are also solely focused on the ability of the individual. We have become so self-absorbed with what we can do that we never stopped to contemplate our original place in the world. After all, we are a creation. Just like any other creation, we are in need of fine tuning and assistance from our Creator in order to reach our full potential in who He created us to be!
This is the truth that came to me while on the other side of the door. The answer is not on the other side of the door but rather the Author and Perfector of our Mankind as well as all other creation. So long as we look toward the door for our answers, we will never find true satisfaction. Turn toward the true character of our Creator, not the idea you already have in your head, but the true identity of Him, and you will find the satisfaction you have been searching for. In Him, you can find the answer to all your questions, the love you’ve yearned for your entire life, the peace to all your anxiety and troubles. All in choosing Him for Him rather than for what He can give you. Turn away from the door and turn instead toward Him.
