The Journey of the Spiritual Heart

The word "journey" is probably one of the most overused words that I have heard used (and have personally used ad nauseum) in religious circles. It is something that we often wear as a badge of honor.. don't you dare criticize my journey. With 2008 knocking on our doors I was thinking about this idea of journey and thought of these verses out of Proverbs:

"The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, but a wise man is he who listens to counsel." (12:15)

"There is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death." (14:12)

"All the ways of a man are clean in his own sight, But the LORD weighs the motives." (16:2)

"Every man's way is right in his own eyes, But the LORD weighs the hearts." (21:2)

There is a word that is used in each of these verses.. it is the word "way" and is translated from this Hebrew word:

derek (deh'-rek): From darak; way, road, distance, journey, manner, road, way, path, journey, direction, manner, habit, way, of course of life (fig.), of moral character (fig.)

Journey seems a good fit for these verses.. try substituting it for "way" and reread the verses. I find it interesting that these words speak negatively about this word journey. Looking at the verses it is obvious that:

• Our journey can be foolish if we walk it alone. We need the help of others to walk out a wise journey.
  
  
• Our journey is all about the inner life. Being successful on our journey is all about our motives.
  
  
• Our journey can lead to some dark places (i.e. death) if we live it from our flesh.. our minds.. our emotions.. our lusts.
  
  
• Our journey is not about those things we see but about those things that can only be discerned with our spiritual hearts.

This last bullet is the one that can be so difficult. So often our journey is fraught with fear, pain and other negative influences.. during these times it is so easy to allow these things to shut our hearts down.. so easy to allow the things that we see with our outer eye to overshadow those things that can only be seen with our inner eye.

In this time when many of us are considering 2007 and thinking of 2008 maybe we can resolve to live more fully this journey of our spiritual heart.. possibly relying less on our earthly/brainy wisdom.. possibly leaning more into our spiritual hearts.. and maybe we will begin to see the journey through the inner eyes of redemption. It is my prayer for you and for me.