How are you doing? Where are you on your pilgrimage? Are you on a valley or climbing up the hill? Are you taking a break along the journey? Or are you on the top of the mountain taking in the majestic views? Have you fallen off the path or are you catching your breath somewhere? Or are you at some crossroads thinking which way to go?

But God’s not finished. He’s waiting around to be gracious to you.
He’s gathering strength to show mercy to you.
God takes the time to do everything right—everything.
Those who wait around for him are the lucky ones.
(Isaiah 30:18, MSG)

The Christian pilgrimage is an adventure for sure. But God has promised us that he will never leave us or forsake us. So we can cling to the promises of God. No matter what is going on in your life you can count on God and on the fact that you are not alone. When you cling on to Jesus you are not lost. All these experiences are part of the pilgrimage. Sometimes it’s our turn to enjoy the easy, effortless walking. Sometimes we feel breathless as we are on a steep incline. It is all right. It’s not always going to be like this. Actually the darkest hour is right before the dawn. There will be Light!

But me, I’m not giving up.
I’m sticking around to see what God will do.
I’m waiting for God to make things right.
I’m counting on God to listen to me.

But it’s not forever. He’s on my side
and is going to get me out of this.
He’ll turn on the lights and show me his ways.
I’ll see the whole picture and how right he is.
(Micah 7: 7, 9, MSG)

If you are at some crossroads looking for direction (like I am with my family right now), know that waiting is part of the process. Wouldn’t an adventure without any twists and turns be boring? I know all about anxiety but I’ve learned to bring my anxiousness to God.

“Come away with me, my child! Come away and sit with me. Let me love you, show you how much I care about you and your life. Let me give you my peace. Let me assure you that everything will be all right. I know my plans for you.”

I’ve learned to sit down with Jesus for sweet interaction. Comfortable silence is part of our togetherness. I open my heart to be read by Jesus. We sit together some more. I feel all my anxiousness fly away. I feel the peace of Jesus moving in with me. I sit there in awe of God’s amazing love towards us.

All around us we observe a pregnant creation. The difficult times of pain throughout the world are simply birth pangs. But it’s not only around us; it’s within us. The Spirit of God is arousing us within. We’re also feeling the birth pangs. These sterile and barren bodies of ours are yearning for full deliverance. That is why waiting does not diminish us, any more than waiting diminishes a pregnant mother. We are enlarged in the waiting. We, of course, don’t see what is enlarging us. But the longer we wait, the larger we become, and the more joyful our expectancy. (Romans 8:22-25, MSG)

Even when we know that waiting is part of the process and we are in God’s tender loving care it can be really hard to wait. But once again it helps to lift our gaze up to God. We don’t need to know the big picture when we know the Creator of the big picture. God is preparing us for something new. We are enlarged while we are waiting. That’s why even the time of waiting is a gift.

Meanwhile, the moment we get tired in the waiting, God’s Spirit is right alongside helping us along. If we don’t know how or what to pray, it doesn’t matter. He does our praying in and for us, making prayer out of our wordless sighs, our aching groans. He knows us far better than we know ourselves, knows our pregnant condition, and keeps us present before God. That’s why we can be so sure that every detail in our lives of love for God is worked into something good. (Romans 8:26-28, MSG)

Gracious God,
O how wonderful you are!
Thank you for so lovingly taking care of us.
Thank you for inviting us to go away with you.
Thank you for guiding us even when we don’t sense it.
Give us patience to keep on when it’s dark around us.
Be our light on our path.
Lead us home to you.
In Jesus’ name,
Amen

Q4U: How are you doing? Where are you on your pilgrimage?

Be blessed, my fellow pilgrim, as you continue on your faith journey. Trust your Guide, study your Map and keep you gaze lifted up to Heaven!

Photo courtesy of Emmanuel Carrizo