In the book called Sabbath, author and minister Wayne Muller, tells a story of an expedition. “There is a story told of a South American tribe that went on a long march, day after day, when all of a sudden they would stop walking, sit down for a while, and then make camp for a couple of days before going further. They explained that they needed time to rest so that their souls could catch up with them.”
During different seasons of life, I can definitely state that as I went from work, to home, to kids sporting events, to helping coach those events, and had that on a loop, my soul was left behind and needed time to catch up. I needed a refresher and reset.
You see this last week at work was very stressful. We had a client that we did a project for that was very intensive and she was being used by the enemy to steal my peace. She was refusing to pay the bill. I could see her start to position herself to not pay pay by hiring a structural engineer. There is no reason that she would have gone that route as we didn’t do anything that would have affected the structure or integrity of the building. However, this was a pure tactic for her to delay or reduce the bill, or ask for things for free. She owed us around $40,000 and to a small business that is a lot of money. Especially since we already paid our laborers.
On top of this one client there was a string of commercial projects that we were doing where the terms did not have us getting paid as we progressed but only upon completion which meant a depletion in our cash flow as we pay our labor and employees weekly. My stress level was high to say the least.
Sunday rolls around and my favorite soccer team, Liverpool, loses a match at home to their biggest rival club, Manchester United. I probably could have digested that better, but at the same time my oldest son had friends over who were cheering for that rival club. It made the whole experience very frustrating as I couldn’t just enjoy the match with the constant banter between everyone. After my sons’ friends left, I really needed a refresher.
I love the outdoors. Whether that is hiking in the woods, mountains, or just sitting on the back porch watching the leaves fall as the season changes, there is something refreshing by being in nature.
When I seek beauty or nature it forces me to slow down and I can be in the moment instead of on autopilot on to the next thing or the next event. It allows me to recenter my focus and hear from God. I need the solace of Christ.
The solace of Christ is the profound comfort, peace, and consolation that Christians find through their relationship with Jesus Christ, particularly during times of distress, sadness, anxiety, or suffering.
It is rooted in the biblical understanding that God, through Christ, is the ultimate source of comfort and that the suffering and triumph of Christ provide an anchor for hope.
Simone Vey said so eloquently, “there are two things that pierce the human heart, beauty and affliction.” I can testify to both in my life.
This last weekend, it was a beautiful Sunday. Sunny with a little wind as the season here in Georgia starts to change and the leaves are putting on a show. I wanted to witness this so I decided to go walk at one of our local parks near my house.
I pulled up in my truck and decided to put on a podcast while I walked. I have earbuds in and made sure the noise cancellation was off in case bikes or people needed to pass me. I was intentionally taking my time.
I decided to listen to the Wild at Heart podcast episode 845. It wasn’t the most current one and maybe about four or five episodes and been published since this one but my finger clicked on it regardless.
The podcast began and I love how John Eldridge takes time at the beginning to practice benevolent detachment where he surrenders everything to the Lord. were discussing the importance of beauty and how it is healing for your soul.
As I was walking towards the back of the park, there’s a big creek that runs through and there happened to be a tree that had fallen to create a perfect seat along the bank. I sat down and just took in the moment and I found myself being able to focus and hear once again. This life can be a rat race and at times you feel like you’re on autopilot or cruise control. It’s easy to check out or just go from one event to the next.
Sitting there on the log and watching the stream slowly go by as fall leaves which it accumulated slowly drifting in the current of the water. I felt the breeze blowing and watched the leaves drop one after one. It was exactly what I needed and I just soaked it all in. My soul was finally catching up. After sitting on the log for ten to fifteen minutes, I got up with a renewed focus and filling by the Lord. I started to notice the micro or the small things along my path.
I came up around a bend and on the other side of the creek was a beautiful blue heron. I stopped and zoomed in with my phone and took a few photos. He was beautiful and I happened to take this photo right as he spread his wings and took off.
Next, as I continued walking I noticed these beautiful little white flowers on a small weed along the path and it stopped me in my tracks as they were smiling back at me. They were so small that if I wasn’t paying attention I would’ve walked right by them.
As I started to exit that main path to where there’s an open field? There was this big spider right on the side of the trail and I just stopped and looked at it in the beautiful colors that it had all over its body. The intricate details and designs on the body of the spider were so cool.
I continued hiking and went over a bridge and decided after talking with the Lord that he wanted me to go off the beaten path and so I took a cut through the fields.
As I was walking and talking to the Lord discussing how I missed my conversations with my earthly father, but could only imagine what he’s experienced over these last 5 and 1/2 years. I also began to just confess to the Lord all the different things that he brought to mind and ask for healing and that he would use me to impact people in His Kingdom here on Earth. I prayed for my boys that they would have godly wisdom and that they would learn from my mistakes and examples. Prayed for wisdom for myself and that the Lord would help me finish these books that he’s buried deep inside of me. I confessed that He is weaving all these things together that he would show me and give me vision to see how to use this ministry called Living Eyes Open. I need his focus, wisdom and guidance to finish these books.
Prayed for our roofing company that he would give us favor in the marketplace and I confess that it’s nothing that I can do to increase sales or even fix this lady issue but it is only Him. He’s the one who motivates people to call us, gives us favor with clients, and ultimately it is Him who’s building this business.
I noticed as I’m walking through this wide open field that I come to the trailhead which I took on my way in and the Lord had me stop.
He told me to look how wide that big field is that I just walked through.
He told me look at how small that path is that you chose to walk in which 99% of the people do as well.
He told me that His desire and His love for me is that I would experience the open field in abundance and that He wants to use me like that to impact people on a big scale.
I made my way back to my truck, sat there, and just was so full of gratitude. My heart was full again and my soul refreshed thanks to the beauty of God’s creation but ultimately slowing down to spend time one on one with Jesus. The solace of Christ.
