Finding Your Way

 

Finding Your Way

But if from there you seek the Lord your God, you will find him if you seek him with all your heart and with all your soul. Deut. 4:29 NIV

This week I had occasion to visit an assisted living facility numerous times. My expectations were exceeded at every turn! At first glance, there were people in wheelchairs or holding onto walkers that were slowly moving about. Others were seated in chairs in the lobby to observe the comings and goings of visitors and staff.  Then I noticed behind the white hair and thick glasses were bright smiles and gestures that said “hello”. In the following days, I was able to talk to many of the wonderful people there and learned about their lives. I met a teacher, a concert pianist, a blind man wounded in the war, a sweet man in a plaid shirt that sits by the door daily and so on. I loved my time with these fascinating seniors. In my youth I guess I mistakenly thought that at some point, life would be over at a certain age and I would just drift aimlessly like a boat in the ocean waiting for my turn to go to glory. But as I have gotten older I realize for some people, that is exactly what happens, but for others, they make every day count. Adlai Stevenson said, “It is not the years in your life but the life in your years that counts.” While I saw many folks living life, I noticed that others chose to stay in their rooms and not get involved. The comparison could be that some folks are just spectators while others are participants. A spectator simply observes and watches and does nothing to contribute. The definition of a participant is someone that shares and takes part in something. I want to be known as a participant and I bet you do too! Not just in everyday life but in my faith as well.  These dear seniors may get lost, forget important things, appear frail and tired, but many are set on finding their way each day. They seek to be useful; they seek independence, peace and companionship with God and with each other. I see God’s Light shining through so many of their faces. Their age or physical limitations have not dimmed the glow that lives within them.

What about our faith and our spiritual journey? Are we active or inactive?  Hopefully we are living our life to be a reflection of God’s love and all that He represents. But if not, to be adrift spiritually is a sad place to be. There is so much help and support that is available that it is hard to watch someone go in and out of their spirituality like the tide rolling in and out.  If someone is seeking to find their way and needs help, let us be useful and honor God by sharing our faith and God’s grace and mercy. And if you feel like a spectator in your faith and have been adrift, turn back to God, seek Him in all you do and ask for divine help and confide in a Christian friend, church or pastor that you need help in finding your way. "Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.” Matt 7:7 NIV