It was probably 6 or 7:00am. It was cold. I could see my breath. To the east the sun was beginning to piercing through at every open seam of the clouds. It provided enough light to see dimly but unfortunately not enough heat to burn the dense fog which enveloped me. I found my usual beginning point at the state park and began walking. It was off the beaten path and distant from any people. A path that was unmarked and made by people like myself who like to go against the grain.
I encountered the presence of God that day in a way that I will never forget. Nothing spectacular. No visions, signs, or wonders. Nothing like that. I had my bible, a cup of McDonalds coffee, and a journal. That was it. But that was more than enough. I found a place along the trail in the fog and began to read and pray on a makeshift seat made of an old log. I wrote out many things I received from God’s Spirit in prayer. To this day I cannot tell you what I wrote or what year this walk was. The only thing I remember from that hike was that it was astonishing how I could encounter the beauty of God and feel so close while in the midst of dense fog, deep woods, and eerie silence.
I had a conversation with my dad not too long ago. I asked him, “Do you ever feel like you are a runner standing at the starting line tying your shoes thousands of times waiting for the start?” He shared his heart and gave an abundance of wisdom. Wisdom that helped keep me focused on the present and not to worry about the future.
There will be times in our journey of following Jesus where the fog will be so dense that we assume there can be no presence of God found within it. We will think there can be no breakthrough or light to see. And at times, there isn’t. But somehow, within it—we sense a deep presence of the Divine if (that’s a big IF) we can quiet ourselves to sit and pray.
There will also be times in our journey where we feel like we are stuck at the starting line. I have been there many times. I have complained to God saying things like, “But you promised… But you said… You showed me… Where are you… Why aren’t you… When will you…” We all do this. All of us are overflowing with divine expectations more times than not made by assumptions that did not come from above but rather ourselves. And so, we do what we do by habit. We keep tying our shoes. Waiting and waiting and waiting.
Just Be Faithful
Whether you are in the fog where you can see God or you are stuck at the starting line wondering when God will bring certain things to pass—one truth remains. We are not invited to part the clouds for the sun or run prematurely before the precise time. We are expected only to be faithful at all times.
This may be the hardest among disciplines for people of faith. Our trust is in a God we cannot see physically. We hear truth from Him in ways that are at times undiscernible. We are invited to take risks that do not make logical sense. We are told to be like children in our trust and yet we are asked to be patient in ways only an adult could understand. But even still, faithfulness and obedience is all he asks.
I pray that today you can rest in the realization that if you will just be faithful in the midst of the fog or at the starting line you will encounter the presence of God in your life. If sitting with God in the fog and at the starting line is all we have in this life, it is more than enough to carry us forward. Because in the end, being faithful to rest in the presence of God in the present will always outweigh the anxiety of the future. He knows our next steps and will lead us always. So find a spot, kneel, and begin to pray. You will be surprised Who you encounter.
Reflections on Following Jesus in Today's World 