The Journey or The Destination?

By Kenneth Wolff 

Are you the type of person who enjoys the journey, or are you the type of person who wants to get to the destination? I was asked this recently and had to reflect for a moment on how to answer this question. During this past week at SkyRose Ranch in California, I thought about this question again as I saw the men arriving for the first session of the year for First Responders.   

  I have always been more concerned about getting to the destination. My thoughts were to get on a plane so I can get to my destination as quickly as possible. The destination is all about what happens when you arrive. It is not about what happened before you got there and what you experienced along the way. I wanted to enjoy where I was going and why I was there as quickly as possible. The journey did not matter.   

 As I thought about this, I thought about how many things I must have missed along the way. How many cities, restaurants, foods, attractions, people, historical sites, and experiences I missed from 30,000 feet. All because I was in a hurry and focused on just the destination.   

 As I sat in the back of the room, I looked at the group First Responders that made their way to SkyRose Ranch. I thought about the journey that brought them here. I thought about their travel day. How early they woke up, how many airports they were in, and the number of flights they were on. I thought about how many miles they drove and the number of hours they were on the road. I thought about what these men left behind and what they experienced in life that brought them here.   

 As the men settled, it became apparent that they had been on difficult journeys, but they were not alone. Other men had been on difficult and long journeys too. They realized we don’t have to be alone as we proceed through this journey we call Life. We have a Lord and savior that died for our sins and is there for us.

He reminds us in Psalm 23:4, “Even when I walk through the darkest valley, I will not be afraid, for you are close beside me. Your rod and your staff protect and comfort me.” 

He loves us and He promises in His Word that He is for us and not against us.  He is sovereign and knows the beginning of our journey to the end of our journey. As we ask the Holy Spirit to help us draw closer to Jesus, He will direct our paths. We have to understand that we are on a journey where only God can lead us if we choose to follow Him. Once we determine in our hearts that His way is best, we can surrender our way and enjoy the journey to the destination.  

Learn how you can make a difference in a veterans’ life by visiting https://www.mightyoaksprograms.org/about/

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