Oh, The Places You'll Go
(Note: title belongs to Dr. Seuss)
There's a scene in The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey in which the wizard, Gandalf, confronts Bilbo on his reluctance to join the dwarves as a burglar to retrieve the Arkenstone from Smaug, the dragon residing inside the Lonely Mountain.
In his house, Bilbo sits in his favorite chair as he tells Gandalf "I just need to sit." In other words, "I just need to be for a minute."
Gandalf's response is one that hits a little home to me,
“You’ve been sitting quietly for far too long. Tell me; when did doilies and your mother’s dishes become so important to you? I remember a young Hobbit who always was running off in search of elves and the woods, who’d stay out late, come home after dark, trailing mud and twigs and fireflies. A young Hobbit who would have liked nothing better than to find out what was beyond the borders of the Shire. The world is not in your books and maps; it’s out there.”
Man if I haven't been there before! Being an introvert, I'm perfectly fine taking the stance of Bilbo who wants to explore through reading and through quiet evenings next to the hearth in his home. I'm fine going through Netflix and drinking a cup of hot tea in the evenings. But that's not the life I'm meant to live. The life that I'm after is one of (somewhat) reckless abandon. Bilbo feels the same way and throws caution to the wind and, later, has so many crazy adventures that he must write a book about them.
Like I said, I'm living a life that is crazy. I'm living a life that is not my own. Ever since God called me to do missions on university campuses, I've felt like I've lived in some strange dream land. This dream land has been filled with a lot of good and a lot of sacrificial moments in my life. But it's also been one where I've been able to draw closer in to the presence of God. I've had to trust Him for companionship, finances, living accommodations, transportation, and so much more. But it's been worth it!
I've counted the cost of following God, and it has greatly paid off.
I've led both foreign and domestic missions trips to places I otherwise would not have visited had I not given myself to the ministry of Chi Alpha that God has placed me in. Places like Peru and Rhode Island made me ask myself, "What on earth am I doing here??" But I've never regretted going. If I could do it all over again, I most certainly would without the blink of an eye. That's how great this has been.
In 9 days, Brooke and I will go on another journey. This time, to a place where neither of us have set foot in for more than a weekend. This is a place that we are going to establish ourselves for the next 5 years. Of course, you already know the place that I'm talking about. We are beyond excited for this wonderful opportunity to share Jesus with these students and we are working hard to get there.
In some ways, I feel like the protagonist in one of the books I enjoyed reading as a kid.
"It's opener there in the wide open air."
We're not 100% sure what we'll expect, but we're just ready to go. We are ready to see what God has called us to and why He has called us to go there for the next 5 years of our lives.
What about you? Have you ever felt that way before? Adventuring deeper to find God for yourself or at least to start the process? I can guarantee you that when you abandon your self-driven path, trust Jesus in all things, and follow Him as He leads the way that it will be a decision that you will not regret.
but it'll be worth it!
