Man stands in the wilderness of life, surrounded by many dangers, some known, and some unknown. Instinctively, he knows if he stays in one spot too long, the wilderness would consume him. He is compelled to move, but fear of the unknown grips him tightly, like the iron jaws of the ever lurking mountain lion. Staying in one spot would be the easier thing to do… it would be so comfortable. But innately, there is an adventurous side, a side that screams with the ever prodding eagerness to explore the freedom that awaits him. What lies beyond his camp of monotony, he wonders. Oh, does he wonder…
Such is life, if we do not take a step of faith into the unknown. Discoveries are made by those who dare to discover and so without risk, there can be no reward. Regrets are the dungeons of despair, where we are left to ourselves to ponder the what-ifs, the could haves, should haves, and would haves until the end of our days. Like torrential rains these empty thoughts fill our minds, expanding the voids of nothingness.
In life, the easy road is most often taken, as man seeks to satisfy himself. Afraid to take a step out of his camp, afraid to risk it all, afraid of what he may find. And so we sit and wait, doing whatever we can to slow the inevitable decay that plagues us, by eating, drinking, sleeping, and being merry. All the while we keep telling ourselves that this is all that life has to offer. We come up with the most elaborate excuses of why we cannot take the step into the unknown, just so that we can feel better that what we are currently doing is sufficient, trying to fool ourselves into feeling satisfied. Trying…
But there is a void. This ever nagging void that no matter what we do to fill this seemingly bottomless pit, it consumes everything and leaves us feeling even more empty then we were prior to all the work, sweat, and tears that went into trying to fill the void up in the first place. Is this it to this life? Is this all there is? This insane, never ending tiresome race of going nowhere, like the hamster in the wheel? Or is there something more? Is there something beyond this camp, beyond the wilderness?
Inside of every man is a desire, a desire to be great. A desire to leave our footprints in the sand for others to follow, a desire to have our own chapter written in the story of life, that others may read of our legacy and be inspired. Inside every man is a desire to be adventurous, to discover, with this hopes that one day, we can fill this insatiable void in our hearts, the void that was there from our earliest memory, and that remains still today. But that would mean leaving all that we are comfortable with, all that we know, who we are…. for the hopes of discovering something greater then us, something great in us, something that make us feel more alive, and more free then ever before (knowing that we were never really free in the first place). There is something out there, calling to us, relentlessly calling…or rather someone.
Ironically, when we step out of our camp, and into the unknown, fear subsides as it is overcome by excitement and wonder! Beyond the trees are rivers, valleys, mountains, rolling hills, a gentle breeze, the warmth of the sun, and life all around us. The new sights, sounds, smells, and sensations are almost more then we can bear. Feelings and thoughts run like wild mustangs in the vastness of our minds. The world seems to grow instantaneously, and never ceases to grow as the imagination flows; influenced by the unimaginable experiences we just had and are still having. Hopes and dreams become a possibility! With each step, our courage grows and our faith thickens. The body is inspired within to express itself in full animation. The free spirited youth that was previously bound within our mind is finally set free in the body. The chains that once bound us fall to the ground, and life… has purpose. We are born into the captivity of sin, but the love of Christ sets us free. Experience freedom and discover your purpose by knowing Christ, the one who gave up His life, so that you may know the meaning of yours, and live it to its fullest… a joy that is unsurpassed. Now, let us take that first step, out of our camp and into wilderness…
“The men whom I have seen succeed best in life have always been cheerful and hopeful men, who went about their business with a smile on their faces, and took the changes and chances of this mortal life like men, facing rough and smooth alike as it came.” – Charles Kingsley
2 Corinthians 5:17 – Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!
The Hammer and Chisel 