Recently I took the vacation of a lifetime – an East African Safari. It was an incredible trip! Let me tell you a little about it.
Our small tour group’s main goal was to observe the animals in their natural habitat. To see as many different species as possible, as close as possible without interfering with their daily activities.
In the early mornings we would board our safari vehicles in search of majestic creatures that many never get to see except in zoos. We learned quickly that our game drives would be bumpy and dusty as our vehicles crossed the dirt plains and desert areas for several hours at a time. We watched intently, hoping to come across something incredible. We almost always saw more than we had hoped for and returned to our lodging with giddy excitement over what we found.
When we set out each day, we knew what lay ahead. Hours of bouncing around in our Landcruisers (I had bruises to prove it), with sand and dirt accumulating all over our clothing, our face and hair. We continued, not knowing what we would stumble upon. We just knew it was worth the discomfort for the chance of seeing something amazing.
There were also some bothersome physical issues; motion sickness, digestive issues, insect bites. But I think I speak for everyone in our group, the inconveniences were minor compared to what we encountered during this trip.
I would do it again in a heartbeat!
So what does all this have to do with my Christian walk?
I could have stayed home, or I could have flown to Africa but not gone on the game drives.
I could have complained about the bumps and dust and heat and mosquitoes and missed out on the amazing experiences.
But I didn’t. I went all in. And the rewards were so worth it.
Are you sitting by while others are looking for the next amazing thing God has planned for their life?
Are you complaining about the inconveniences and tough circumstances in your life while you miss out on what’s ahead of you?
Are you feeling hopeless about what you see right now instead of holding out hope for what God could show you around the next corner?
If so, let me encourage you to stop looking at what’s hard right now, and start looking for the next beautiful, amazing, incredible thing that God is preparing for you.
Keep going. Keep watching. Keep hoping. It’s worth it.
God proves to be good to the man who passionately waits, to the woman who diligently seeks. It’s a good thing to quietly hope, quietly hope for help from God . It’s a good thing when you’re young to stick it out through the hard times. Lamentations 3:25 MSG
