I’m going camping today. I’m not really ready, but I’m going. My mental list of what I want to bring including 4 things: guitar, Bible, pen, notebook. Now I know I’m supposed to bring a tent and clothes and food and all that other stuff. But that’s not why I’m going.
There’s definitely some sense of escapism in camping-the want to just get away from it all and have nothing to do. I hope to leave Dallas around 10am, but secretly know that it’ll probably be more like 1pm. That would give me twenty hours of light and twelve hours of dark before anyone else comes. That’s a lot of time to do nothing by yourself. I might be miserable before anyone else shows up, but I don’t think I will.
See, I’m going with a guitar. It’ll probably be severely out of tune in the cold. I want to write a song. Actually, I have 3 or 4 floating around in my head right now. But right now, they are too vague. I don’t know what they say, what they’re about, and of course, how they sound. It doesn’t sound like much is in my head... I want to sit down with the guitar and not play Zeppelin, Hendrix, or Clapton. I want to play for God and I want to write it down.
I want to make some decisions during those thirty two hours what God’s called me to and what that looks like. I know I won’t have tons of answers. I don’t necessarily think that by just sitting down and thinking that I could figure anything out. But I think with prayer it’s possible. I might get something. It’s that little kernel of hope that got me excited about going camping this time. In one sense, this is going to be one big quiet time. Something I’ve never been good at doing. Maybe God will speak through or to me. In prayer, I often ask a lot of things from God. Maybe this will be an opportunity for Him to talk and me to listen.
6 comments:
good luck! I can't wait to hear it!
Thanks for sharing bud. I look forward to joining you!
i think there is some value in spending time by yourself alone and in prayer. i hope that you got some of those answers you were looking for.
I know that we don't have a relationship with God by our own effort, but I keep wanting to say that there is certainly a huge component in maintaining that relationship on our part. In a way, I think God wants us to really pursue him. It's like he first finds us, and in response we seek to grow closer to him.
I've noted the desire within myself to clearly know what my purpose is. The hard part is that even with all my thinking, self-realization, and growth in Christ I have become evermore confounded. Christ wants our hearts-- that is the basis of our faith. I think I personally want a manual on how to give Him mine though; I want Him to tell me exactly what I am to do and when. I don't want to face the simplicity (although not so simple at times) of faith-- give myself to Christ through faith, love and obedience-- as my sole purpose. I want my career and all other aspects of my life set before me. I want to know who I'm called to minister to and I want an easy road in.
But the purpose of life is to follow Him, isn't it? To better learn who He is and what He wants for and from us? That isn't to say He can't dictate what he wants for us in realms of lifestyle and career choice but we do have free will.
I think it is necessary to remain right with God and to ask what He wants. He made us for a purpose: to have a relationship with us. But how does He want us to share in life with others?
I think I'm talking in circles by this point. I think its useful to try and see if we are currently following where He is leading and what He wants our next step to be. I hope you continue to seek out His will in your life and I hope He shows you what that is. Remember, however, to remain patient in the times you don't hear what He has to say.
It is nice to get away from the goings on of every day life to clear your head and give God an open mind to speak to. Sometimes life just gets so busy that I forget to stop and let God give His input. Hopefully you found some answers or at least a better knowledge of God.
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