Pilgrimage

Life is a journey! In every journey there are twists and turns along the way until finally the destination is reached. Each twist and turn can be seen either as an obstacle or adventure. How we choose to see them makes all the difference in the world for it determines whether you are going to stay on a journey or go on a pilgrimage. If you choose to see the twists and turns as obstacles, then you are making the  choice to simply travel on the journey of life. That's a journey that all people are on. On the other and, if you choose to see the twists and turns as adventures or opportunities to go with God, then you are making the choice to go on a pilgrimage, a holy journey where you go with God on the path He wants for you.

My family and I are currently on an adventure. We recently made a major move because my husband was transferred with his job. We left my parents behind and headed to a new town without family or friends. When we found out we were moving, I described this new route in life as an adventure. We were choosing to go on an adventure with God – a pilgrimage. At that time, I knew it would be hard to leave my parents. Yet my husband and I were both surprised as to how hard it really was when it hit me the day we arrived at our new home. I grieved hard. Not for a long time. But for the short time I grieved – it was really painful. I cried out to God and He heard my cry. He helped me get the right perspective back concerning this path He has us traveling on. He helped me to remember that this is an adventure He's taking my family and I on.

Nestled in the book of Psalms is an encouraging passage that speaks about pilgrimage. Psalm 84:5-7 says, "Blessed are those whose strength is in you, who have set their hearts on pilgrimage. As they pass through the Valley of Baca, they make it a place of springs; the autumn rains also cover it with pools. They go from strength to strength, till each appears before God in Zion" (NIV).

In this passage we learn something about taking a pilgrimage with God. The Hebrew for the word "blessed" in verse five is eser which means ". . .a person's state of bliss."(The Complete Word Study Dictionary, Baker & Carpenter) The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines bliss as ". . .complete happiness. . .joy." From my research of the term eser, this state of bliss is connected with wisdom and is most often used in an exclamatory style. In other words, it's not just that a person is happy but that they are extremely, completely happy or joyful.

According to this passage, the person whose strength is in the Lord and has her heart set on pilgrimage is blessed – happy - joyful. We can have that inner joy when we are relying totally on the Lord for strength and we go with God on the pilgrimage He wants to take us on. How? Because we know that it is God who sustains us and has taken us on the journey. Because we understand that God knows what is best for us and He has a reason for the journey He is taking us on. Because we know we don't have to rely on our own ability to do what He has called us to do or go where He has called us to go. It is His strength alone that sustains us. I don't know about you, but just knowing I don't have to sustain myself in my own strength is a relief! Goodness knows I can sure make a mess of things when I try to operate in my own strength. But in the Lord's strength, great, mighty, and beautiful things can unfold! He can take valleys of sadness and bring forth springs of refreshment that can usher forth contentment and joy. His abundant rain of living water fills up our dry wells, restores us to life and vitality once again, and enables us to go from "strength to strength" until we meet our Maker.

The Lord has truly brought me springs of refreshment and helped me have the right perspective on our current adventure. He has given me great contentment and joy. I have chosen to set my heart on pilgrimage. Therefore, I am blessed. And you know what? I feel blessed! Is there an adventure God is calling you to join Him on? Are you willing to go? Are you willing to take the journey with Him? Set your heart on pilgrimage with God. Rely on His strength and His strength alone. And when you do, you are blessed. Allow God to bring forth springs of happiness within your soul. Let Him take your valley of sadness and usher in joy and contentment. Let Him replenish your dry wells with living water and restore you to life and vitality. Be blessed on your pilgrimage, sister. Feel blessed. And trust the Lord with all that is within you knowing that He loves you and wants what's best for you.

"Blessed are those whose strength is in you, who have set their hearts on pilgrimage."    (Psalm 84:5, NIV)

Blessings-
Karen Lowe

© 2009 Karen Lowe All rights reserved.

Karen Lowe is a guest contributor at Take Root and Write. Karen is a homemaker and writer who began Truth and Grace Ministries to encourage women to know God's Truth so His Truth can set them free. To learn more about Karen, visit her blog Living Life in God's Truth and Grace. To learn more about being a guest contributor, please visit TRW's  Guest Contributor page.

Comments

[Monica]

Amen, sister! A piece of sanity in this insane world; We need God centered in us to ground us, to give us the extra nudge, to support us, to encourage us, to console us, to nurse us, to walk alongside us, to forgive us and to love us. Knowing God is with us each and every way gives us the super natural strength to keep going and fix our eyes focus on His glory and eternal kingdom.

[Laurie Neumann]

I just tried to do a trackback to this post, but got an error message. So I did a regular link to it.

Great post. Encouraging words are such a blessing - they have been to me and I try to do the same when I have the opportunity.

Thanks for sharing.