Is life a journey or are we just being immature?

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M

MatthewMichael

Guest
#21
#21
jour·ney /ˈjərnē/
[TABLE="class: vk_txt ts"]
[TR]
[TD]Noun
[TABLE="class: ts"]
[TR]
[TD]An act of traveling from one place to another.[/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]

[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]


Yes, it is a journey. Travelling from my room to the bathroom is a journey.
We have a couple choices. We can focus on enjoying the destinations, or we can focus on enjoying the journey. If you focus only on the destination, you're always unhappy because you can never rest, and if you focus only on the journey, you'll just wander around.

I say ask God what his will is, take aim, and enjoy the ride. Events will happens along the way. Do not place judgments on the events. Do not say, "this was a 'good' thing or this was a 'bad' thing." Just accept that the events happen, and enjoy reality as God created it. Many times "bad" things end in "good" and vice versa.

If you haven't read "Pilgrim's Progress", you might check it out. The Bible tells us that we're literally in the middle of spiritual warfare.. Demons bro. Angels... God.. Fire.. Miracles! yea.. cool journey stuff. It's not immature at all. It's God's word, and it's pretty intense.
 
K

kayem77

Guest
#23
#23
seoulsearch said:
I certainly didn't mean to make it sound as if adventure is an idol. :)

I guess what I was trying to express is that it's more about how we look at life than about what happens. I fight constantly between the despair of dull repetitions and the desire to break free and reach for something more.

Because of the constant batterings of everyday life and being alone so long, I shut down and stopped wanting to do much of anything. "I can't go there... the drive is too far." "I can't go out to eat, I have no one to go with." "I can't take another day of this horrible, colorless routine." Life is really hard when all you hear is, "I can't."

Of course, life can't be a Grand Safari everyday. I guess what I'm trying to say is that when I try to make myself see things as an adventure, I feel like God is giving me a boost to do what I otherwise wouldn't do. I still want to do all the things I had hoped to do--being alone used to hold me back from trying, but I don't want that to be a barrier anymore. If I have a chance, instead of letting is pass by because I'm single, I try to grab on with both hands.

I recently spent an entire day, from the time they opened the gates to the fireworks at night, at Disneyworld. By myself. The only time I got to talk to anyone was when an employee asked, "How many are in your party?" Why, one, of course! Was it fun? It was great to be at the park, yes. But was it miserable to be alone? Yes, indeed. Still, how often does one get a chance to go? I didn't want to let the opportunity pass just because I had no one to go with.

I really liked what you said, Kayem, about God being the only constant in life. Last year I moved across the country, only to realize my worst fear--my life was pretty much the same, even in an entirely new location. I am desperately trying to change that by doing things I always gave myself excuses for not doing because of being alone. And soon, everything in my life is about to change yet again.

In order to hold on to any shred of sanity or "constant", I'm trying to see everything as God's given opportunity, even in daily routines--each day when I go to work or care for relatives or clean the house... it's a chance to allow God to continue His work on my character.

When I stop seeing even daily events as a form of adventure/challenge/lesson from God, I simply lose all hope and sink.
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Oh I know you didn't say adventure was an idol Kim :) it didn't sound like that at all, in fact I agree with what you said about choosing your own adventures, or rather...letting God choose your adventure (which is already an adventure lol). I try to see life as a whole as a part of a journey, even the routinary stuf...as you said. Maybe the 'boring' areas of our lives exist so we can learn patience and discipline.

I just started working as a debt collector, a job that most people would hate, but oh how much patience you can learn...especially when the person at the other end of the phone calls you all the names of the book and all you can do is listen. But well...it's part of the journey right? :)
 
F

FAITHFULGILLIAN

Guest
#24
#24
seoulsearch said:
I certainly didn't mean to make it sound as if adventure is an idol. :)

I guess what I was trying to express is that it's more about how we look at life than about what happens. I fight constantly between the despair of dull repetitions and the desire to break free and reach for something more.

Because of the constant batterings of everyday life and being alone so long, I shut down and stopped wanting to do much of anything. "I can't go there... the drive is too far." "I can't go out to eat, I have no one to go with." "I can't take another day of this horrible, colorless routine." Life is really hard when all you hear is, "I can't."

Of course, life can't be a Grand Safari everyday. I guess what I'm trying to say is that when I try to make myself see things as an adventure, I feel like God is giving me a boost to do what I otherwise wouldn't do. I still want to do all the things I had hoped to do--being alone used to hold me back from trying, but I don't want that to be a barrier anymore. If I have a chance, instead of letting is pass by because I'm single, I try to grab on with both hands.

I recently spent an entire day, from the time they opened the gates to the fireworks at night, at Disneyworld. By myself. The only time I got to talk to anyone was when an employee asked, "How many are in your party?" Why, one, of course! Was it fun? It was great to be at the park, yes. But was it miserable to be alone? Yes, indeed. Still, how often does one get a chance to go? I didn't want to let the opportunity pass just because I had no one to go with.

I really liked what you said, Kayem, about God being the only constant in life. Last year I moved across the country, only to realize my worst fear--my life was pretty much the same, even in an entirely new location. I am desperately trying to change that by doing things I always gave myself excuses for not doing because of being alone. And soon, everything in my life is about to change yet again.

In order to hold on to any shred of sanity or "constant", I'm trying to see everything as God's given opportunity, even in daily routines--each day when I go to work or care for relatives or clean the house... it's a chance to allow God to continue His work on my character.

When I stop seeing even daily events as a form of adventure/challenge/lesson from God, I simply lose all hope and sink.
Click to expand...

You at least do have the freedom to choose and to make the most of your life in accordance with God' will. I am still at that early stage when things are mapped out and while under the parental roof it is a question of obedience rather than exploration or launching adventures.
 
G

GreenNnice

Guest
#25
#25
Ritter said:
While I am not a Hemingway-like adventurer in the mold of our own Liamson, my work has led me to travel the country and undergo a similar experience in many areas. Since they were different areas, since I did travel long distances to get where I needed to go, I began viewing life in the context of a journey. A hero's adventure.

Each segment of life and new experience, no matter where I was, became viewed through the context of being at another leg of the trail. Part of it still has to do with my youth I am sure.

Sure, life presents us with new experiences, but sometimes being grounded is good. Life in through the lens of what is unchanging is, at times (perhaps at many more times) a good thing. Otherwise there would be no children or wonderful communities to live in.

I have two main questions:

1. Have you ever viewed life in the context of a journey? If so, why? If not, how?

2. Do you feel as though such a view of life is desirable for the individual and society at large?



Yes, Lightningclap, this was inspired by reading the introduction to Speaker for the Dead.
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hey, ritt, howz it go, bro :)

1. Life is a journey, and, it's His journey for us, will we follow is the big question, by faith in Him it will be done, the Lord leads. :)

2. I think, to want to follow God's plan for our life is most desirable, for our individual self-fulfillment, being a Christian and all, there is a dichotomy of the two. Our lives are in a wrestle with the journey that He has us on and the journey that we want to be on. The former is going to lead to abundant life while the latter thinking will lead to abundant 'death,' for God will help us go forward on both, but, one the one he will bless our steps :) while the other path, if taken fully, will lead to certain doom :(
 
F

FAITHFULGILLIAN

Guest
#26
#26
MissCris said:
I thought life was a highway....

I actually don't know that I've ever really considered how I view life. Not in general, anyway...occasionally I feel like my life is a poorly written sit-com, but I've never thought seriously about it.

Huh.
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Nonsense. Your life is comedy gold!
 
zeroturbulence

zeroturbulence

Senior Member
#27
Aug 2, 2009
24,580
4,269
113
#27
I think my life is like a NASCAR race. I keep running around in circles and keep having to make too many pit stops along the way. :p
 
seoulsearch

seoulsearch

OutWrite Trouble
#29
May 23, 2009
14,943
4,586
113
#29
So Zero... I guess what you're trying to say with that picture is that Life Is a Contract With A Corporate Sponsor???!! :D

(Of course, our Corporate Sponsor would be "Heavenly Acquisitions & Mergers, Inc.")
 
N

NukePooch

Guest
#30
#30
seoulsearch said:
When I was young, I had my life "mapped out" -- Go to college. Get a good career going. Marry young, like my parents. Have 2-4 kids by the age of 25... 30 at the latest.

Of course, as with most things in life... all of that went down the chute in a very big way by the time I was 25. The world says to take on as many partners as you can... I just wanted to have one partner with whom I could have as many adventures as we could possibly take on. When things went bad, I lost my spirit and will to live, or even try, for a very long time.
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My best friend had his painstakingly planned plan fall apart, and so did his will to truly live. He's merely (barely) surviving now. Has been for years. Currently seems to be waiting for either his gluttony or his alcoholism to kill him. I've tried talking to him about it...he views it like this: "My plan fell apart, there's nothing left."

Hmmm...how about making a new plan? Nope. The plan he had was ALL he had and ALL he wanted. He's totally unable and unwilling to move on.


I, personally, have always been the other way.
Mr. Pooch has no plan. Never had one. I definitely view life as a journey/adventure.
 
N

Nuns_n_roses

Guest
#32
#32
Well I can't speak for anyone else, but I'm just being immature. :p
 
N

NukePooch

Guest
#33
#33
zeroturbulence said:
I think my life is like a NASCAR race. I keep running around in circles and keep having to make too many pit stops along the way. :p
Click to expand...
seoulsearch said:
So Zero... I guess what you're trying to say with that picture is that Life Is a Contract With A Corporate Sponsor???!! :D

(Of course, our Corporate Sponsor would be "Heavenly Acquisitions & Mergers, Inc.")
Click to expand...

Well, it could be worse...

609kurtbusch.jpg

[video=youtube;BWKisUSxjXk]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BWKisUSxjXk[/video]
 
zeroturbulence

zeroturbulence

Senior Member
#34
Aug 2, 2009
24,580
4,269
113
#34
seoulsearch said:
So Zero... I guess what you're trying to say with that picture is that Life Is a Contract With A Corporate Sponsor???!! :D

(Of course, our Corporate Sponsor would be "Heavenly Acquisitions & Mergers, Inc.")
Click to expand...
If I could get a corporate sponsor for life I'd probably be living like a pro athlete driving around in a customized mercedes with 22" chrome wheels and living in a house so big that the Kardashians would be jealous! :p :D

 
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