The Hardest Journey

Over forty years ago a meeting took place in Japan in which the leading Christian thinkers gathered together to address what seemed to be the loss of spiritual depth in modern culture and humanity. Among other topics, they addressed the inward awareness of God, attention to the ills of society and heart-felt compassion that responded to such crisis.

Out of this momentous meeting Douglas Steere, one of the participants, wrote a pamphlet entitled, The Hardest Journey. The title came from a passage in Dag Hammarskjold’s book (actually a publication of his personal journal), Markings. If you have not read Markings, I encourage you to get a copy and read it for your own edification.

But the quote that Steere appropriates for his pamphlet is the following: “The longest journey is the journey inwards.” Not only is the journey the longest one, it is the hardest. It is hard for the following three reasons:

So many things blind us to an inner awareness of God’s presence.
Too many Christians turn a blind eye to the ills of society
Heartfelt compassion is often blocked by apathetic acquiescence

We can live our daily lives on auto-pilot so much we lose our ability to sense “God’s abiding presence.” We live on such a fast-paced schedule we have blinders on and are not still long enough to see the ills of our society all around us. And finally, we lose the ability to feel deeply the pain of others because we quietly accept what we do not have the time or inclination to change.

A long and hard journey—who wants to take that on? I remember a couple of years ago climbing to Chimney Tops in the Smokies. The trail was treacherous at places, winding, and uphill all the way. Rocks, boulders, large tree roots, slippery paths, etc. all added to the difficulty of the climb. But the breath-taking view at the top was worth it all! Every time I make a long climb to a summit and an outstanding overlook and panoramic view, the shutter lens of my inner soul takes a snapshot that leaves the picture imprinted on my mind forever. It was worth the effort.

Whenever we take the time, make the hardest and longest journey, to be aware of God’s inner presence, enabling us to respond to the ills of society with a heartfelt compassion, it is all worth the effort!

In Christian love, Curtis