Life Lessons on Tour
Anyone else notice that we tend to operate differently on vacation?
Of course, you don’t need to go far away and spend a bunch of money in order to learn about yourself, but travel does have a way of shaking things up and providing a fresh perspective. In the midst of bizarre, new experiences along the streets of a different city or country, you can find God speaking to you more profoundly than you’ve been used to.
That’s why I’m a big proponent of self-awareness. Choose to be a student wherever you go. Live your life awake and alert, paying attention to what God is teaching you and how you’re developing through different circumstances. It’s so rewarding, and once you start doing it, you’ll realize that it’s the way we were meant to live. Nothing is coincidence. Everything means something. You are loved. Your life has purpose, always.
On that note, now that I’m back from a long-awaited trip to Greece, I’m still sensing God’s encouragement to live at home the way I operated while on vacation. He used this trip to open my perspective to some of the things He’s been teaching me by allowing me to live them in different circumstances than my everyday life.
Today, I want to share with you the highlights that have particularly impacted me and refreshed my faith.
While touring in Greece...
I learned to release what I couldn't control or anticipate.
There is only so much you can plan ahead, especially in another country. My usual desire to control things felt heightened overseas. But looking at unexpected things as part of the journey rather than strictly good or bad helped me to relax. My exact plan is not always the best, even if it seems the most straightforward. The unexpected and even bizarre provides you with rich experiences you never would have specifically chosen to have.
I learned to trust that our steps were ordered along a good path.
Traveling with an itinerary was really helpful because even though it couldn’t predict or handle everything for us, it ensured that we had an exciting plan that we could fall back on and look forward to. God’s overall plan for us is also good, and every day, we wake up to see more of it unfold. We just have to remember this and make a habit of waking up to praise Him for it.
I learned that waiting is part of the experience.
If you get overly upset over things like renting cars, catching flights, or trekking to different meet-up locations, you’ll be pretty miserable on vacation. It becomes more of an enjoyable experience (both in traveling and in life) when you embrace the logistics as part of the adventure—and a pretty impressive part at that!
I learned not to fear challenges.
It’s not the end of the world to run into something that is harder than you thought. I used to operate like there were only two options: perfect scenario or falling apart because you feel inadequate or have to adjust your expectations, but thank God, there’s another option. You can feel out of your element, and yet still be able to ask God how to move forward. When you do this, you'll have the privilege of connecting with hidden strengths you didn't know were inside you!
I learned I give up and settle waaaay too easily.
Just because you haven't yet experienced something or it's delayed or difficult doesn't mean you should resign yourself to quit while you're ahead. We're so quick to disqualify ourselves or take ourselves out of the race. But if we’re still alive, it’s not time to quit. It’s not the end until God says it’s the end. We can take breaks as God leads us through periods of rest and recharging, but He has so much more to show us, give us, work in us, and do through us.
I learned the unique beauty of the life and calling God's given me.
In Greece, every day felt like a new adventure, and all of life is like that—not just on vacation. I was freshly reminded of the precious new song God gives me every day and how important it is for me to sing it…to passionately proclaim Him as only I can. This is your calling too!
Which one of these stands out to you? What are some precious things you've learned from God while on vacation or experiencing something new?
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