Daily Highs and Lows of Pilgrimage and Life!
Highs and Lows of Pilgrimage and Life!
After flight delays, lost luggage, bruised shins (I smashed both of my shins into these 18 inch tall sidewalk posts along the narrow streets of Madrid. The first time I skinned up my right one, and fell forward onto my hands. The second one happened as I was hustling to put my backpack into the trunk of our Uber on the way to our 3rd hotel after our first two mysteriously cancelled on us, leaving us in Madrid (think New York City) on a Friday at 5:00 pm without a place to stay night for less than $1000!)
We were so tired when we finally got to our hotel we could hardly function. Hence, why I smashed my left shin into the sidewalk post!
Sipping strong coffee in our room the next morning enjoying a slow morning of recovery, Bryan and I were watching a YouTube sermon when all of a sudden my laptop screen went black!
I was scared. My computer is so important to me. I debated whether I “should” bring it, whether I was doing something against the “rules” of pilgrimage, unplugging, and simplicity. But digging underneath those accusing voices were legalism and shame from the enemy, not God.
I bought the right converter and made sure my computer was tucked into a safe spot in my backpack. I was excited to have it with me to write out of pure joy while we traveled. Instead of listening to the legalistic voice of what you “should” and “shouldn’t” do on pilgrimage, I made my decision to bring it from the childlike desire in my heart.
Staring at the black screen, and fighting back panic, I closed the lid, turned it on and off. Then I called Apple tech support and then brought it to the Madrid Apple Store to be evaluated, to no avail. In all my attempts to keep my laptop safe, thru a power surge or some other anomaly, it was fried.
Immediately the accusing voices returned. “See, you shouldn’t have brought it. What were you thinking. Bad!!! Wrong!!!” I could just about see the wagging fingers and shaking heads and tongues, “Tsk, Tsking”.
In the bewilderment of the moment, I turned to God. Often it’s in times when we put ourselves in challenging places of faith, obedience, or discomfort that we see things hidden deep in the crevices of our hearts. The Holy Spirit was there digging out the root of shame with His mighty strength, ever so gently.
I don’t know what flight delays, hotel cancellations, skinned shins, and fried computers have to do with this journey.
But what I do know is that no matter what challenges amidst our callings that we face, He’s right there in the center, working perfectly for our good and drawing us closer to Him.
Prayer Pause:
What roots of the enemy is the Spirit gently digging out of the soil of your heart through the challenges you are currently facing?
Fixing our eyes on Jesus,
Lori