The Journey of A Thousand Miles

I know most that most of us have heard the historic saying that " A journey of a thousand miles begins with just one step. " 

 



 

I know that I have heard this saying many many times and I use it to complete tasks that I believe are monumental.  And by that I mean laundry that I didn't get a chance to do last week and now its twice as challenging. Or maybe the many many times I begin my new work out and give myself permission to start out with 2 minutes of vigorous exercise and say that I'll complete the rest of the 998 miles the next day. Or maybe unpacking all of those boxes from my recent move...............well I think you understand what I mean.

 

However the more the Lord allows for me to have real deep spiritual growth in his love, mercy and grace, I realize that that "journey of a thousand miles.................." saying can be taken in a much much deeper spiritual sense.  I notice about myself that when I am ready to do something.....I am ready to do it right now.  And I will beat and run myself ragged until I complete my task.  And then I want to pat myself on my back and receive praise from others about how much heavy lifting I was able to take on and come out with such a pristine polished outcome.  And then I am tired and weary but proud. 

 

 

The God that I serve has begin to talk to me in a much softer more loving and tender voice however.  And that voice is saying to me ................."Okima, slow and steady wins the race."  I have begun to understand that the life that I am living is not a sprint from this task to that task but a marathon that begins here and ends way way way way way up there.  I am realizing finally that the life that I am living is not about me and my accomplishments. 

 

 

I have been so busy trying to SHOW people how much the Lord has brought me out of, and all of what he has done for me, that I have maybe missed out on some opportunities to LISTEN to the needs of others.  Now don't get me wrong I believe that the amount of grace, mercy, and deliverance that God has done in my life is enough to make the voice-less shout in victory.  But it's not my job to heal and deliver with my story alone.  (There is this major Christian Book called the BIBLE to refer to as well).

 

 

The life that God has allowed me to live is its own reward.  The life that God shines through my face is enough to minister to someones soul.  I can't change any one's mind.  Well I actually don't have the power and ability to change any one's mind..................God does the changing so that I do not have to work so hard at thinking that I have to do it myself. 

 

 

So what am I saying?  I am understanding that all I can do is walk the long journey.  And it is walked one step at a time at a steady pace.  Then you have to rest and slumber (sleep) , you have to eat, and you must take time for the Lord to refill(meditation & prayer).  If I get up everyday with my mind and my ministry focused squarely on Jesus......that is enough!  You can't eat one massive meal on Monday and then believe that the food that you ate on Monday will allow you to function properly until Sunday night.  NO!  You must eat a hearty breakfast in the morning and then eat a healthy snack a couple of hours later. Then have a square lunch.  Then a healthy snack, then a balanced diner.  Then you must rest for at least 7 hours via sleep.  That is the way that we are to relate to ourselves physically, and then that is the way that we are to relate to ourselves spiritually. 

 

 



 

We aren't supposed to fill up on once big meal at church on Sunday through the music and preached word and believe that we can live a healthy Christian life the rest of the week without any healthy snacks of reading the word and prayer.  That is how we begin to obtain balance in our lives. 

 

 

The journey of a thousand miles does begin with one step!  That is true for the physical, NO DOUBT!  But what is even more truthful is that the journey of a thousand miles to spiritual fulfillment is the more satisfying journey.  So we can't go to church one time and expect that all of our hurts and pains and fears and family dysfunctions are going to disappear.  But if we continue to press through the journey little by little, the joy and peace that we seek will begin to come into focus.  You can't start on your thousand mile journey and run for 12 miles and get tired and turn around and say............"wow, I didn't make it to that thousand miles and I ran good and hard."  Well the truth is that you must continue to run good and hard each and every day. 

 

 

If you fill a up bathtub  to its capacity with water.................then you remove 6 Dixie cups of water......at first you may not be able to see the physical difference between those 6 cups removed and capacity.  But if you scoop out 6 more Dixie cups you still may not see a whole lot of difference.  But the actual truth of the matter is that the water is weighed at 12 ounces lighter than its capacity. It's a very small difference.............BUT A DIFFERENCE NONE THE LESS!!! If you stay diligent and continue to scoop out small ounce size Dixie cup after Dixie cup................eventually you will begin to see the difference.  BUT ONLY AFTER A WHOLE LOT OF SCOOPING WILL YOU SEE THE DIFFERENCE.

 

 

So you might NOT be able to see the fruits of your labor after your first try, your first prayer, your first bible study, your first attempt to lose weight, your first attempt to stop smoking, your first attempt to stop drinking, your first workout, your first attempt to do anything that will bring about a newness to your soul.  But if you stay slow and steady you will begin to little by little see that you efforts are not in vain.  You will then begin to acquire balance.

 

 

The journey of a thousand physical miles begins with a single step..................but more importantly, the journey of a thousand spiritual miles begins with that all important first step and your goal will not be achieved until every last one of the painstaking thousand miles are completed.

 

 

Hebrews 12:1-2 NIV

 

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us,2 fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God