When Shannon and I left North Carolina and moved north to Boston we had a plan. We knew exactly where we were going to stop for gas, food, and where we were going to sleep. We knew what items to pack in the moving truck, where to place them, and what bags needed to stay with us in the car. We mapped out the cheapest gas stations, the fastest routes, and even the best times for us to avoid all of the traffic. Needless to say, we had a very detailed plan!
But, what if we had no plan in place to help us live here? What if we exhausted all of our mental energies creating the most epic plan for the road, but had no job, house, or schools in place once we arrived? Who would do that? Who would prepare so hard for the journey that they actually forgot to prepare for the destination? Who would ever think that real life happened out on the road, instead of at the destination? No one!
But, sadly, I often treat my walk with God that way.
Instead of living my life in light of the destination, I get fixated on the journey. I plan out everything with impeccable detail and spend all of my energy and effort planning the things that I want to do along the way, forgetting that I will be living out my eternity in heaven! I forget that God has already prepared a place for me and that He has a purpose for me once I get there.
Now, don’t get me wrong, it is a great idea to plan out the journey. And, thankfully, Jesus has already mapped out the journey for us because He has already been to where He wants us to go. And, to make sure we get there on time, He has given us His Spirit who guides us and positions us on the best possible road to get there!
But, we cannot forget to prepare for the destination! We cannot lose sight that Jesus has us on a journey towards heaven and expects us to really start living once we get there! Of course we are living now, but this is just the journey. This is just the road that is taking us to our brand new home with God! Once we park the truck, unpack our bags, and move into our new home in heaven, then our lives will really begin!
So, as we ride along this journey, what would it look like if we started focusing less on the road and more on the destination? How would that change our perspective? How would that transform our day to day walk with God?
