Last June, I had a dental appointment,
needing filling redone. After the procedure, the dentist was going to adjust my
bite with the new filling, but since my mouth was still numb, it was difficult
for me to tell if it was off. So, I had to wait an hour or so for the
anesthetic to wear off. The clinic was nestled among the trees and surrounded
by a stream. So on that beautiful day, I took a walk as I waited.
I walked over to the stream and
observed its beauty. It was wonderful. I watch the current flow down the
stream. It confirmed in me that I prefer rivers and streams then bodies of
water. Rivers and streams are always moving, always going somewhere. They turn
and twist and you never know what’s around the corner. I ask God to always be
moving in my life.
It was a bit chilly as my spot was in
the shade, so I continued on. I followed
the stream and continued to admire it as I walked. I found a nice place and
stopped again to gaze upon the flow of water. However, I was quickly prodded on
once the bugs found me. So I kept walking.
I stopped again as a beautify
butterfly flitted around me. I admired its
beauty as it danced around me. Then it floated down the trail, in which I
naturally took off to follow it. It took one too many turns that I could no
longer follow and watched it drift away.
I continued down the trail, in which I
found a bridge going over the stream, and it is there where nature revealed its
messages to me. The sun shined every so brightly as I stood in warmth looking
over the railing at the flowing water down below. I used this time to ponder
questions that were going through my mind. I was struggling with the different
thoughts on healing. I asked God to teach me something about healing and help
sort out the questions in my mind. I did not expect any answers or at least not
in the next few moments.
I turned my focus on the beautiful
trees that hugged the stream. It was with those trees, God began to teach me
about healing. I sensed him asking me, “What do the trees do?” I thought for a
moment and replied, “Grow.” I pondered for awhile about that. “All trees do is
grow. They don’t move, they don’t think, they don’t speak. They only thing they
do is grow.” God continued to teach me through my thoughts. “They will keep
growing as long as they get the right nutrients they need or nothing inhibits
their growth.” God reminded me how the human body is very similar. From the moment
we were conceived, we constantly have been growing. Even when our body’s frame
stops growing, we continue to grow within our bodies. We are constantly growing
new cells in our body, replacing old cells with new ones. That is how our
bodies heal themselves, given the right environment and nothing impedes it.
Right then it click! Healing is really
growing. Growing is really healing. When someone asks to be healed, they are
really asking to grow. When someone wants to help heal another, they really
want to help that person grow. So, whether I am physically healed or not, my
focus should be on growth.
That answer satisfied my inquiries and
thanked God for speaking with me. I thought our conversation was over, but He
proceeded to discuss the summer’s camp theme – Journey.
God reminded me of the events that
took place on this little journey I had walking along the stream. I initially
stood at the river bank admiring it’s wonderment; however, several things
pushed me along to keep going. First, it was the chilled wind and then the
bugs. So, I realized that value of the discomfort; it kept me moving forward on
the journey. But then he also reminded me that I was prompted to keep moving by
the butterfly. Beauty and wonderment also have the ability to keep us moving
forward.
From there, I begin to ponder more
about things that keep us moving forward and things that keep us stuck. Fear
was the first thing that came to mind. We often are afraid to move forward, not
knowing what’s ahead. Fear keeps us locked and frozen where we are. The picture
that came to mind was being trapped in a burning house. I could be deathly
afraid of jumping out the window or pacing through flames to get out of the
house. I may be filled with so much fear that I literally may physically freeze,
unable to move to safety. That fear would keep me stuck, unable to escape the
inevitable death. On the other hand it could be that very fear that actually
drives us! In the same picture of a being trapped in a burning house, a strong
fear of death could propel me to move, and move fast.
I thought of another scenario, much
like the last. However, instead of a burning house, the picture that came to me
was an oncoming bear. Once again, that fear can move us or freeze us. If I see
an approaching bear, my fear may cause me not to move, but drop and play dead.
Which, is a potential safe option. That fear, once again, could be so
overwhelming that I completely freeze, unable to do anything. Now, for some,
that fear may also drive someone to move. I may see a nearby building that
offered a safe place. So, that fear would push me to move to safety.
That brought up another thing that has
the ability to move us, as well as, freeze us; safety. We often think of the
concept of safety as something that keeps us from moving. I’m in a safe place,
I don’t want to move. However, safety can also drive us. If that bear is behind
me and I am able to make it to a safe place, I’m going to move! If the house is
on fire, I need to move to a safer place.
I began to think of the many things
that move or freeze us. Comfort, love, wonderment, excitement, pain, and the
list can go on. My natural tendency was to then ask, “Is moving forward always
good? Is freezing bad? In the instant of seeing a bear, dropping to the ground
and freezing is probably the best option. Not moving is actually purposeful.
However, once the bear is long gone, staying frozen is no longer needed and
unproductive. There are definitely moments when we need to move and when we
need to stay still.
Most of these thoughts revolved around
the concept of safety. What is the safest? My logical response to the good and
bad of moving forward was solely based on safety. So, I wanted to ask those
questions again without answering them on the basis of safety.
That brought me back to the concept of
growth. Moving forward is good if it grows us closer to God and, likewise,
staying still is good if that grows us closer to God. In essence, that is how
we should judge whether anything is good or bad. Does it make us grow closer to
God? Are we growing? Are we being healed? I believe God gives us each a
different Journey, moving us forward, keeping us still, taking steps backwards with the use of discomfort or pleasure... whatever we need to help us grow closer to him.
(Thanks Dr. Cook for such a beautiful
place to be!)
