“The question of getting to a particular end is a mere incident. What we call the process God calls the end.” Oswald Chambers, My Utmost for His Highest, July 28
We are so goal-oriented in our culture. It seems like I am always looking for some destination or another – some benchmark that denotes my ‘reaching’ something : prosperity; fulfilment; success; retirement; etc. A good example for me is weddings… I remember when I was getting married how the wedding itself seemed like a destination – we spent so much time and preparation getting ready for the “Big Day” with little concern with what would follow. The reality is that day means little if the years to follow are not spent in constant care of the relationship that day celebrates.
I think all the little ‘destinations’ in my life are much the same. I don’t think God sees my life as a series of endings so much as the process of becoming. As I do more ‘becoming’, I get to do more ‘reaching’ – as I grow deeper in my faith now, I feel more fulfilment in my life; as I stay more focused on the time and space I occupy now’ I feel the success of navigating this moment; As I focus on the relationships in my life in the now, I feel prosperous in the ways I can touch the lives of those I care about.
Because when I finally do reach the ultimate destination, it won’t matter how much money I made, how many toys I own, how many check marks are on my list. The only thing that will matter then is how I went through the process of living and relating with those around me and with God.