Have you ever felt frustrated that your life just can’t seem to follow a straight path? Maybe you have no idea where the path is even going. You’re sure it’s going the opposite direction from where you expected it to go though.
My cousin recently posted on Facebook about walking a labyrinth in his town and it just resonated with me. I had an upcoming trip planned to Duluth in northern Minnesota so I found a labyrinth to walk while I was there. Well, that was the plan at least.
The entire town, which is on Lake Superior, was without snow in March (which is almost unheard of)…except for the labyrinth. And I don’t mean there was a little bit of snow on it. I couldn’t even figure out where the labyrinth was under the foot of snow that still existed on that one, lone hill.
Fast forward a few weeks, and I searched again for a labyrinth somewhere near me – and found one about a five-minute walk from my house! A friend joined me and we took turns walking the labyrinth. It was a circle about 30 feet across with multiple paths delineated with small rocks and swirling around each other until the path finally reached the center.
I entered first and, in two small steps, the path suddenly made a sharp left and I walked away from the center, away from where I thought I should be headed. Then it curved a little to the right and I actually thought, “Oh! The center already!” No, it was just an opening left by a missing stone in the border. “Of course, it wouldn’t be that easy or quick.” So, I continued on.
Some of the border stones had words painted on them and the very first one simply said, “Listen.” Listen to God? Listen to others? Simply listen in the labyrinth. That’s when I tuned in and realized the path was covered with two inches of dried oak leaves. Each step caused a crackle. “Listen to each and every step. Listen to right now, Carrie.”
I noticed the leaves on the path at the beginning and then, as I walked out from under the oak trees to the other side of the circle, I noticed that the leaves disappeared and were replaced with pine needles. Soft, cushioning pine needles that barely made a sound under my feet. Quiet. Peace.
I chuckled at a line of rocks that said, “is no caravan of despair.” I used that quote from Rumi in one of my first posts on Instagram for the blog back in December.
I was still thinking about that quote when suddenly I realized I was at the center of the labyrinth. I hadn’t realized I was that close and thought,
“But it was over so soon!”
“Yes, it will be. You have no idea when this current struggle will suddenly be over. So pay attention. To every stone, every leaf, every step.”
Even when I don’t know what that next step will bring. Will I find sorrow up ahead? Joy? Either way, if I listen, I will find there is peace along the way.
Sometimes when I follow Him, I find rest. Other times when I follow Him, I find work He wants me to do. But He always wants me to trust He knows the best path when He says, “Follow Me.”
What is your next step?
After you’ve rested. After you’ve stumbled. Maybe after your whole world has changed.
Are you ready to put one foot forward?
Deep breath. Here we go…
“Ours is not a caravan of despair.” ~Rumi
Leave a Reply