Walking the Labyrinth
I didn’t know what a “labyrinth” was back in 2013 when we had this picture taken. I just knew it made for a pretty picture for us to stand in the middle and let the kids run amuck in pure Olivia and Lance fashion.
I later learned that a labyrinth symbolizes our journey on earth with God as the center...or with heaven as our final destination.
When you walk a labyrinth, you pause in prayer before you begin. You let everything go and focus on the Lord and your life with Him. When you start walking the path of the labyrinth, you remember the stages of life and all that you’ve walked through in life. The ups and downs, the good the bad, the fun and difficult times. You might pause and pray or even kneel down in prayer at different points as you reflect. The important thing is that you don’t rush...you take your time and allow God the time and permission to speak to you about your life’s journey.
As you continue to walk, you will finally end up at the center, which represents being in God’s presence. What led you to God? How has life made you desperate for God? How has God supplied everything you’ve needed in life?
As I look back at this photo, I see Pat and me in the center WITH God representing how we needed Him while raising kids. We had to pray and ask God for His wisdom and guidance on a daily basis. We tried our very best to read God’s word and train up our children in reverence and obedience to His truth and guidance.
And just look at the joy on our kids’ faces! While there were many bumps and bruises from life along the way, ultimately there really is JOY and FULFILLMENT when you live life God’s way. In His presence is fullness of JOY!
James 1:2-4 Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.
All of life’s hardships can bring us closer to God if we stay in His guidelines...if we stay on the path. Yes, we may have to pause and cry, wail, and mourn along the way, but it’s all a part of a holy process that ultimately brings us closer to Him.
It’s when we get off the path that true hardship and difficulty will destroy us. Satan wants us off the path so bad...to kill, steal, and destroy us. But Jesus came that we may have abundant life ON the path.
Our time on earth is a flash....it will be over in an instant and we will wonder where in the world has the time gone? Life has so much more meaning when we are on the path God has for us AAANNND when we help others find the path God has for them.
My prayer for you is that you lay down your plans and get focused on what God has for you.
Trust and obey. There’s no other way to be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey.
Photo credit: Kimberly Johnson Glover Cedar Box Photography
