Picture this: You're on a great, big ship. The ship is full of people and things and situations that have taken up all the waking moments of your life for a long time. They used to satisfy, fulfill, and make do. However, you start to realize that they're not working out so much anymore. You want more. You want more for yourself, more for your future. You've decided to chart new waters. You want to get off the ship, but realize the only way to get out to sea in search of a new land and new life is to lower the dingy, grab the oars, face the waters and just go. So you do...
Of course we have to be wise and not flippant about it. When we are in places in our lives that not only don't work out for us anymore, but become sorely unhealthy and almost poisonous, then it is time to get a move on. It doesn't matter the situation. We are placed on this earth to thrive, to live abundantly, to contribute to the health and growth and spiritual deepening of others as well. Am I saying life should be perfect...without challenges...unhurtful? Uhhh, no. That is a given. Jesus says that we will have trials and tribulations. He told us it was not going to be easy. We are human. We hurt ourselves and we hurt each other. There will always be sludge in life. BUT, we don't have to LIVE in it. We can see it for what it is (acceptance), we can face it head on (building courage), and we can walk through it while we search for truth and a better way (persistence).
The reason many stay put is because of fear. Fear of what others will think. Fear of "what if". Fear is at the root of all that holds us down and back. The beautiful thing about moving forward in spite of the "what if"s is just that - it's moving forward. The more forward we move, the farther away we get from all that taints our hearts. When we move forward from people or things or situations, we see the truth of what they were. We can learn what we need to learn from them, but leave it at that. When we move forward, we may end up walking alone or we may have company by our side, and how long will that company stay with us? Who knows. But ultimately, it's our lives to live. Move on.
Life is an adventure. Every day is an adventure. If we wake up, it's because God allowed us to have another opportunity to thrive, not just exist...to reach out, not just receive...there's nothing like lowering that dingy, and rowing on a prayer. It brings freedom.
NEXT: The love of a good man
