Inspired by . . . my companions
I’ve been reading Hinds Feet on High Places with Barbie and friends, and pondering long about Much-Afraid and the journey to the High Places. My thoughts are incomplete, like my journey, and this is just an offering.
A place to begin.
pdpa_etchedinstone
We’re all on a journey. Oh, we may have different ideas about the destination {or lack of one} but none of us can deny the moving-forward-ness of this life.
“To nearly everyone who has taken the time to think about it, the experience of life is summed up by constant motion and perpetual change. As each moment fades imperceptibly into the next, we learn that nothing remains the same for long. Bound by the law of entropy as surely as the smallest particle of physical reality, our lives can go only one of two directions: forward or backward. We either grow and blossom into something new and different or we degenerate into wasted potential.” ~Brian Melton
My personal journey, by His grace, has been forward. I am growing and blossoming into something new and different than I was when I first began. Lately, I have been thinking a lot about my journey. Especially the part that has gotten me to where I am presently - - the past. I think this is {partly} because of my age, but it is also because of some of the literature I’ve been reading.
Corrie Ten Boom wrote, “Today I know that such memories are the key not to the past, but to the future. I know that the experiences of our lives, when we let God use them, become the mysterious and perfect preparation for the work He will give us to do.”
It’s a tremendous statement, one that will take me some time to unpack. I read it after writing this: http://www.inspiredbyjune.com/2014/08/inspired-by-cloud-gazer.html and it impacted me deeply. God is weaving a particular theme in my life right now, and I’ve decided I’d better pay attention.
Reading Hurnard’s classic at the same time gives another dimension, a spiritual dimension, to the pondering of my memories. I feel like so much of my life is lived on the surface. I’m not sure I can explain that, but perhaps you know what I mean. Pondering my journey, especially with Ten Boom’s perspective in mind, brings me deeper, closer to the Truth.
The Truth about myself, about God, and about life.
And so we come to my Companions.
The Shepherd gave Much-Afraid two companions for her journey to the high places; Sorrow and Suffering. Although initially alarmed and hurt by the prospect of journeying with these two, heavily cloaked creatures, Much-Afraid soon learns to rely on them for help.
There is much I could say about all of that - - about how it is much harder to take the hand of Pride or Self-Pity when you’re holding tightly to the hands of Sorrow and Suffering. But my main objective in this offering is to share with you about my companions.
Who are they?
I’ve thought about this for a long time. I’ve tried on a lot of nouns; loneliness, fearer, pride, self-pity, doubter, piety, misfortune, the list goes on. Some of them fit, for a space-in-time. But when I really boiled all of them down, the hands I’ve held most during my journey are Sorrow and Suffering. And, although each of our journeys are unique, I really think this is true for all of us.
The best part about these companions is what they are helping to produce in me. They are tools in the Shepherd’s hands. And while I still have a long way to go before all is revealed, I’ve had a glimpse under the cloaks of my companions.
pdpa_dustyrosebokehoverlay
I’ve seen Faith and Trust.
Blessings,
Sharing inspiration here:
Oh I love this! I am visiting from Jennifer's place today for #TellHisStory - and oh my, how you are doing that with the Journey He has you on! I had plans of joining Barbie as she blogged through Hinds Feet but summer got busy and I just wasn't able to jump in! I read that book a few years ago and loved it! I may have to browse through some of the posts to refresh my memory! So glad you are glimpsing new Companions!
ReplyDeleteHi June! You have been doing some really wonderful thinking about your life, and what has truly affected it. I supposed Sorrow and Suffering are such 'shapers' for me because for some reason, my experience with them stays fresher in my mind. And they seem to make the most impact too. Just like Christ's life, he did so much good and so many wonders of healing, what really impresses is the suffering sorrow he went through for me. They are powerful tools indeed.
ReplyDeleteThis sounds like a really good study. I'll have to check out this book! Thank you for sharing your thoughts with everyone here.It sounds like you will learn a lot through this study.
Blessings,
Ceil
I do like these flowers. I think we may have travelled very different roads towards growth - but I think the outcome is the same.
ReplyDeleteCheers - Stewart M - Melbourne
What unusual travel companions for Much Afraid. It is intriguing that Sorrowing and Suffering took her hand. She indeed had a lot to learn from them. I have been a little of all three as I travel my own roads. Thanks for introducing me to this literature. I will have to research and read it too.
ReplyDeleteI'm with Stewart in a way...we all begin a journey, the outcome is the same....but it's between the beginning and the end that makes a difference to ourselves. Strength and growing is all part of the journey. Enjoyed reading your thoughts.
ReplyDeleteJune, you have such a uniquely gifted way of expressing yourself, your thoughts, emotions, etc. I read Hinds Feet over 20 years ago; what a rich and beautiful book. None of us like going through the sorrow and suffering parts of life, but for me, they have left me with so much more compassion for others than I would have otherwise.
ReplyDeleteSorry I am so behind on commenting. I hope I can get back to my blogging routine.
We humans tend to describe life, as you say, on the surface; but the real living is when you have no choice but to rely on God and find that there is an abundance of real faith that changes the way you see everything.
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