I drove my brother to his college for a midterm. He just graduated from high school and now he’s taking an online summer class at the college he’s going to in the Fall (that’s my brother for you). We were in an unfamiliar city and after dropping him off, I drove around. Sort of.
With my history of getting lost, I still get a little anxious when I’m in unfamiliar places. Even with a GPS and a smartphone, I still get those butterflies. They’re annoying for someone with wanderlust. As much as I love to explore and discover new things, I want to know where I am in those new things in relation to the old things I already know.
When I went to Washington D.C., it wasn’t until a map of the area was firmly in my head that I enjoyed exploring the Mall. When I ventured outside that area, I got lost when trying to walk back to my hotel as night fell fast. I panicked and doubted myself even though my gut instinct had me going the right direction the entire time.
It’s a lot like being God’s child and growing in faith.
Growth means venturing out into unfamiliar places. It means exploring new things. In Children’s Ministry, we tell kids to bow their heads and close their eyes when we’re going to pray. Yet that’s not the only way to pray. As we continue to grow and mature spiritually, we start to learn different ways to pray.
Likewise, God invites us to grow in other things. He asks us to venture into unfamiliar places and explore new things, usually by asking us to change our perspective.
Like what does it mean to love our neighbors? What does it mean to forgive someone? What does ministry look like?
Answering those questions and taking God up on His invitation into the unfamiliar and new is both exciting and nerve-wracking. Remember that we’re still tethered to God. If we want to know where we are in the new things in relation to the old things, think of God.
When we venture into the unfamiliar places, explore new things, and grow in our faith, we are where God has always had us. We are in God’s arms. We’re always safe and we’ll never be lost. Let’s answer His invitation to grow. Follow God into the unfamiliar and new.
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