Are you doing any travel this Summer? Do you have vacation plans? Do you have any concerns or enthusiasm with travel?
I recently did a fair amount of traveling in Asia – some work for Saving Moses and some vacation. As with all travel, you do your best to plan such that you try to avoid unnecessary challenges and unpleasant experiences. But alas, it’s impossible to anticipate every twist so it’s important to lean into God whether you’re traveling for vacation, work or just doing the journey of life. Here are some lessons that I’m learning along the way:
- Be flexible: On this trip, there were several flight delays, and we even lost a day of work because of mechanical difficulties on a plane. I wasn’t happy about losing a day of work, but I also recognized that God helped us to still accomplish the things that needed to get done regardless of the delay. It’s helpful to keep in mind that God is the Master Planner and does lots better with organizing our lives than we could ever achieve with our own efforts!
- Be prepared: This is a tricky lesson because we might want to bring lots of stuff so that we’re ready for any situation. The challenge with bringing lots of stuff is that we have to carry whatever we bring, and that can definitely make travelling very difficult. On the other side, not bringing core essentials can be tough, particularly when you can’t buy what you need. To this end, let’s remember that God equips us for various challenges in life in the moments of need. It’s also helpful to remember to cast your burdens and cares on God because these things can be very draining and tiresome to carry everyday.
- Be kind: This is another challenge for me, particularly when I’ve had a really long day of travel and I’m well beyond tired. There are also times in my regular daily living, the journey of life, when I’m impatient and unkind. Nevertheless, I like myself heaps better when I’m kind rather than cranky. Maybe we are our best self when we’re kind since that’s a reflection of God, our ultimate Maker. If we are made in the image of God and God is kind, then when we are kind, we are accurately living from our divine design.
- Be grateful: “Thank you,” is a simple expression to recognize and value something good. In order to say these words, we have to identify good that’s outside of ourselves. We can often be grateful to people around us for a variety of things such as: a car slowing down so we can change lanes, the mailman delivering mail, a helpful neighbor, a classmate or co-worker who does something nice, someone holding open a door for us, receiving an encouraging text or email, etc. But, even when we might struggle to find things for which to be grateful on the horizontal plane, we can always find things to be thankful for with God. Over the years in my journal, almost everyday I make a list of things from the previous day for which I’m thankful to God. I think that doing this daily habit helps me to keep a grateful attitude and pay attention to the many ways that God is so very good to me.
As you think about your journey of life and possibly do some vacation travels this Summer, let’s keep in mind some helpful lessons and growth opportunities! Happy Summer to you!
