Life is frequently described as a path. Especially in Christian circles…
“This is the path God has me on.”
“I’m following God’s leading on this path.”
“There is a bend ahead in the path and I don’t know what’s next.”
I always liked the idea of a path. I picture it as a light freckled, dirt covered avenue lined by trees. Because the paths we picture for ourselves are always peaceful and brimming with new life, right?
The problem with the path is that there is a beginning and an end and it’s all about progression. Movement implies advancement, or the opposite which means you’re heading in the wrong direction.
What if life is more like a dance, especially one in a Jane Austen novel?
Where movement implies relationship, fluidity and transition. The point isn’t to get somewhere, but to take part in a rhythm and pattern.
Paul’s definition as the Christian life as a race always inspired me to “press on” and “win.” The urgency of competition and attainment gave me a central focus. I would be first and I would be best!
This past year has been transformational for me, and one of the main things has been a quenching of this thirst for accomplishment and advancement. Not because I have attained my goals or done all I feel God has for me, but rather the striving and pursuit seems quieted in my soul.
I feel more content to contemplate the pattern, the music, the partners and surroundings. To take joy in the dance.
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I love your Five Minute Friday writings, Melissa. This reminds me of what Beth Moore said in a bible study recently that really resonated with me: Accept the beauty of the process. Enjoy the season you’re in and accept the speed the Lord is moving.
Great quote, Theresa. 🙂 Thanks for adding that. I love 5MF, too. You should totally take part. 🙂
Enjoy the beautiful melody God has set into your life and dance! Visiting from 5MF. Something else about a dance is that one of the two in the dance is the leader, the beauty of the dance is letting go and letting Him lead 🙂
Thanks for stopping by! And I’m glad you shared that thought. I was thinking about that before I began, but nothing works better at clearing your mind than a five minute countdown. 🙂
About time you started writing again. 😉 Great post. As for me, I wish I could relate. I feel like I’m standing in the middle of a desert with a dead iPod right now.
Melissa, I love this, great insight! It’s so true and something we need to acknowledge more often. Brilliant. And well-written, too. Great job!
Love. This.
I think because the Bible refers much about our “walk” (way of life) as well as being “pilgrims” on this earth in the new testament, it’s easy to think of life as a path or a journey. All is a great picture of life 🙂 As well as dance. I especially liked this from your writing :
“Where movement implies relationship, fluidity and transition. The point isn’t to get somewhere, but to take part in a rhythm and pattern.”
Thanks for sharing!
-Chelo
I like the pictures that “walk” and “pilgrims” bring, I think it’s just that I’m uber goal oriented, so I need to let go off that image sometimes and be ok with doing things that have no discernible advantage or advancement for my life. 🙂
Thanks for stopping by!
As I was reading your description of ‘path’ I was thinking “this sounds like something you’d picture in a Jane Austin novel.” Then you made the JA comment, great minds think about JA. 😉 I have Sense and Sensibility waiting to be read on my shelf, I think I’ll save it for this fall.