The Midwest never ceases to offer new fall adventures. Last week my family and I decided to try our first ever corn maze. What I thought would be a fun family outing, ended up causing me more anxiety than I expected. As I walked through I recognized I needed to be attentive to some strong feelings and spiritual lessons God was revealing to me.
At the time I started this blog almost three years ago, I honestly believed that as we walk through life, we are journeying along various paths and each day is an opportunity to discern the way God is intending for our lives versus the path we covet or desire. I also strongly believed we aren’t meant to journey through life alone and these two beliefs along with God’s urging led me to start Along the Wandering Way as a way to join you as we wander this earth to the glory of God. These beliefs haven’t changed, in fact, they have increased because, in this often complex and challenging life, I believe God will never cease to reveal himself along the way— including when you’re panicking in a field surrounded by corn. This is why I want to share some of the lessons God taught me while wandering in a corn maze. I hope it spurs you toward noticing God’s presence as you walk through life and encourages you to still yourself in order to hear his voice as he speaks into your circumstances.
When we can’t see our way out.
The words, along the wandering way, never rang so loud in my head until I felt my heart racing a bit faster as I stood surrounded by corn towering several feet above my head. Once you are far enough through a corn maze you are in, there is no turning back because you can’t remember which way is back. There are forks at every turn and decisions of whether to go straight, left, right, or sideways with each step. Sometimes life feels like that; there are too many directions to go and there is no way to know which way will end up a dead-end or a way out. These paths can often feel overwhelming and paralyzing. I often had to stop, look up, take a deep breath, and remember others have gone before me, this has been accomplished, there is a way out because the one who created the maze, created a way to exit it. This reminded me of so many spiritual truths.
- Firstly, when life becomes overwhelming, I remember that there are saints who have gone before me, a great cloud of witnesses cheering me on toward the goal. I am not on a path that has never been taken. Christ paved the way and many have tread the same path making it clearer, more discernable. Not only that, and I am joining them, walking together in faith, in this big redemptive journey. What a beautiful legacy we enjoy on this path, even when we feel lost. Hebrews 12: 1-3
- Secondly, when I felt a burst of fear that we may never find the way out, I remembered that hundreds had already made their way through, in fact, I am pretty sure when they told us at the beginning that it takes 40 minutes to an hour to complete they were speaking from experience. So, rather than feeling anxious, I should have walked in full assurance that I would not find my death in the final harvest among stalks of corn. This again reminded me of what Christ accomplished on the Cross. He makes it possible for you and me to walk by faith and full assurance, that he has come and will come again, and he is with me in all of life’s situations. Hebrews 10: 19-39 Furthermore, there is an exit strategy, there is hope to be found because the creator of life always makes a way for life to be found; it is called salvation.
- Thirdly, as my emotions wove up an down with each twist and turn, I was reminded of a verse in Isaiah, “Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, “This is the way; walk in it,” reminding God’s people, if they would merely repent and turn to God, making him Lord of their hearts, still themselves to hear, that he would speak this truth into their lives. You see, I have chosen to surrender my life to God’s loving care. By doing that, I am fully consenting to his will over my own and ruthlessly trusting that when I feel there is no way, that he is most definitely making a way and speaking ever so gently into my ear the way in which I should go; the heart of discernment is a heart fully surrendered.
When we feel all alone.
When we came upon a portion of the maze with various paths to turn we decided we’d all stop at the four-way crossway and the children would run ahead to see if it would lead somewhere or hit a dead end. We hoped this would save time. At one stop there were more than four options, so we each decided to take one. As I began walking off alone I started feeling quite nervous and afraid. What if I got separated from my family and then lost? I truly began to panic and quickly made my way back to the meeting point. I didn’t want to be lost alone.
- I believe there is an innate fear of being alone because when we are alone we have to face ourselves, and let’s be honest, sometimes we scare ourselves. I’ve been reading about and trying to practice new spiritual disciplines including silence, solitude, and prayer. Being in that maze alone, even for a moment, reminded me of why it is so hard to surrender our hearts to God in silence, solitude, and prayer. The challenge comes down to facing God alone completely stripped of all facades, no excuses, no bush to hide behind, just you and him, the music faded, the distractions gone, simply raw awareness of who you are in the face of holiness and that is scary. It is no wonder the prophets of old fell before God’s messengers crying out their unworthiness. Before God, alone, we are left with the reality of our shame, fear, pain, shortcomings, regrets, anger, and that we alone bring nothing worthy before the almighty God. Though that moment scared me, and the idea of drawing near to God in silence, solitude, and prayer scares me even more, yet I walk forward in knowing he is a God who covered Adam and Eve’s shame, he became incarnate in our shameful flesh to be with us, and he died so that we may live all because he loves us wildly. There is no length he would not travel to find us in our loneliness and shame and to wrap us in His arms of love and give us glory once again.
- Though I had my family to keep me brave, I was surprised by how reassuring it was to pass by others and get ‘little bits of help’ along the way. We would give encouragement or tips on which way not to go or notice that since someone came from a particular direction it might be a way out. These brief interactions were quite affirming and inspiring. They gave us the motivation to continue and not lose hope. It made me think of the role of the Body of Christ and how we should be spurring each other on in faith to finish the race set before us. There is a reason the church is called a body, a group of believers. We need each other to walk through life, we serve a communal God who loves relationships, who loves communicating and spending time with his people. Hebrews 10:23-25. We are made to live this way, knowing each other, investing in one another, encouraging each other towards growth, and caring about each other’s well-being and spiritual health; we need each other to bear Kingdom fruit. The redemption journey we are on was never designed to be a solo mission.
Do you ever feel life becomes too overwhelming or like you are lost? Do you have people to journey through life with? These are important questions and I believe God cares deeply about your response and is inviting you to fear not, to trust his tender care, and join with him and the body of Christ to walk confidently in his great redemptive story that is also your story. If you are looking for a community, consider joining me and others along the wandering way by subscribing at the bottom of the website or emailing me personally. Also, do you know someone who needs encouragement and may be lost in a maze? How can you extend God’s love and notice them today?
Well written Beth. What a good reminder of who God is and how He created us for community. How comforting that we are always safe with Him, even when we feel lost or alone.