Finding the Way

“What a lost person needs is a map of the territory, with his own position marked on it so he can see where he is in relation to everything else.”
— Margaret Atwood

There is a lot of noise in the world. Demands pull, needs push, details cry out from the corners of the day, and a ubiquitous stream of potentially accurate information bombards humanity 24 hours a day. Soundbites of distraction often hold more sway than the relationships that we curate. The demands of time, energy, focus, and money overwhelm the seasons of life. A culture of stress, anxiety, depression, addiction, and impostorism is abounding, while moments of peace, contentment, hope, love, and wisdom are abating. The collision of ideology and pragmatism keeps people divided, distressed, and divergent. At such a time as this, we need clear skies above us, where we can see where we are and what we need to do.

Identifying where we are in this world is a valuable undertaking. Understanding the values that speak to our choices is a worthy use of our perspective. But what happens when we are lost and cannot perceive it? What happens when our insight is insufficient for illuminating the hope we need? Our world is constantly propagandizing its inhabitants. So, how do we find the way that leads us forward?

In a metamodern society, the pathway forward for many has been to deconstruct their reality and seek to rebuild their worldview from a core set of beliefs that they will adhere to. Yet, with a narcissistic culture, how can one turn inward as a method of building connection? Bonhoeffer asserted that turning in on oneself was a destructive force in the community, and there might not be a better descriptor for the condition of our world today. We see the fractures everywhere. We feel the brokenness all around us.

The reality of the inward journey is that it can never show us the truth about ourselves. It can never reveal the level of hope or power that can transcend the turmoil in our world today. We must look to the transcendent to access the understanding we need to find our moorings. Only then can we find the way that leads to life, truth, and purpose — only then can we know our position and go from lost to found.

Many have sought to architect their own unique position in this world. They have crafted their identities, solidified their moorings, and developed their systems of governing their existence. Yet, like sheep wandering astray, the Bible tells us we are all lost. Without the intervention of the Almighty, we wouldn’t even be aware of the level of our condition, as it runs so deep.

Whether or not you feel lost in this moment or not, we have all been there. Some people are lost and are utterly unaware that they are. Some are lost, running away from reality, diving inward to the self, or crafting their own path to enlightenment. We have all sought to find the way to take us from brokenness to restoration. We rally our strength, muster our abilities, or hone our own understanding, yet real redemption remains far off.

Is this a place you find yourself today? Maybe you feel lost amidst a sea of details, difficulties, or distractions. Are you tired of the turmoil, weary of the brokenness, or quietly suffering? Perhaps you are overwhelmed by the effort required to make it alone. The Almighty never intended anyone to undertake the gift of life on their own, reliant on their personal perspective, strength, or ability to make it through.

He sent His Son to lead people to Himself and reconcile their lostness to a holy God. He called us to cast our cares on Him and seek Him with all our hearts. He has told us that He knows every sparrow’s fall and values us much more than them. It’s not the discipline of seeking to find oneself as much as it is seeking Him. That is how we find our bearing and, ultimately, ourselves.

We can only be found when we understand our position (in light of Him). The story of Nicodemus shows us an incredibly learned and wise teacher who had done everything He thought was right to live a good and proper life. Yet, when he met Jesus, he was told that all of that counted for nothing if he was not born again into the Spirit of God through Christ. Imagine the tailspin of emotion to be the teacher of all teachers and yet find yourself lost in the moment of understanding the actual needs of the Kingdom you seek. Just as Jesus revealed later to his disciples that He was the only way, the only truth, and the only life by which all men can find themselves reconciled to God, we must understand that nothing we can do apart from Christ will afford us the bearing to know who we are, where we are, and the way we need to go.

This will never be an inward journey, a map we architect, or a pathway our resources realize. We cannot reveal the truth of our purpose in and of ourselves. As followers of Christ, we must seek Him and His Kingdom. As we learn in the story of Jesus calming the storm, Peter needed to keep his eyes on Jesus. With waves crashing all around (distractions, danger, and despair), he needed to fix his gaze upon the Almighty and trust himself to the Lord’s power. In a world full of turmoil, we must do the same. When we find ourselves in Christ, our connection to Him is the source of our strength and the compass for our direction. Only in Him are we found. Like the shepherd who comes to rescue the sheep that has gone astray, we need his way, his truth, and his life in our hearts.

As we head into this new year, the Lord is calling all of us to seek Him for our direction, call upon Him in our hour of need, and rest in the goodness of his provision. Whether or not we are in a season of feeling lost, His desire is for us to keep our gaze fixed upon Him. This year may have troubles and turmoil, but if we are found by the Almighty, we can go through the storm and find ourselves safe in his presence.