Many summers, in my youth and teen years, I took an annual canoe trip. Our group would drive to southern Ontario for 10 days of wilderness, rapids and waterfalls, and incredible adventures. It was an incredible experience.
The river is a teacher whether or not you want to be a student. You better be ready to learn. Lessons included how to avoid rocks by looking for calm water. Don’t stay in the middle of the river when you can’t see what is ahead. Always pay attention; if the river is moving, so are you. Most of all, if you want to keep yourself out of trouble, you better know how to paddle.
Our spiritual journey is similar. We are all spiritual beings. We are on a spiritual journey whether or not we choose to participate. Many don’t realize they are in a moving river. They are taking a nap, and drift into all kinds of trouble. Some know they are on a river but feel powerless to affect their journey. And a few realize where they are, and that they are not at the mercy of the river. They know how to paddle.
Knowing how to paddle not only gets you where you want to go, it can save your life. You avoid rocks. You steer away from logs and debris that will hang you up. You can fight against the current that will pull you over the falls, and certain disaster. You have to know when, where, and how to paddle to make it on the river.
I am not powerless in my spiritual journey. My enemy desires to destroy me. But God has given me a way to navigate the journey, thanks to Jesus. The truth I learn from scripture, the power I experience from prayer, and the direction I get from the Holy Spirit – all of these things allow me to find peace and direction in my spiritual journey. In addition, I am not alone on the trip. There are others that join me in the journey. I find them in my church.
We are all on a spiritual journey. We don’t have a choice in this. But God has not left us to drift along into disaster thanks to Jesus. He has given us what we need to thrive in that journey. We must draw close to Him and draw upon all that He desires to give us. It doesn’t mean the trip won’t be challenging. It does mean when we depend on Him we will get where we want to go. We just need to remember to paddle.
