Two weeks ago, I was cradling my Starbucks coffee in Philadelphia airport. I had 4 hours layover and I already regretted my choice to save some dollars by booking a complicated trip back home from England.
Within a week I’d travelled from Denver to London Heathrow, Heathrow to Cheltenham England, Cheltenham to Birmingham, Birmingham to Glasgow and back, Birmingham to Cheltenham, Cheltenham to Bristol, Bristol to Wales, Wales to London Heathrow, Heathrow to Manchester, Manchester to Philadelphia and here I was waiting for my last leg of the journey, Philadelphia to Denver. It was truly a case of planes, trains and automobiles – that is without the humor and drama.
I was weary to say the least. Not only with the insane amount of traveling but the journey I’d taken spiritually and emotionally that week. I’d gone back to the UK to say goodbye to my dear mum. Her funeral was held in Glasgow on Tuesday. This is something that nothing really in life can prepare you for. As I went from day to day that week, my mind was flooded with memories, questions and thoughts. I’d talked through this grief very pragmatically with friends over a glass of wine, agreeing that she was “in a better place” but then I uncontrollably sobbed watching “Mothers Day” rom com on the plane back to the US. My minute by minute emotional state seemed to fluctuate with no prior warning.
I knew I was weary – my Starbucks wasn’t cutting it. Philadelphia airport had good shops and I had no energy to take advantage! I was clearly at the end of my reserves. I picked up my phone and decided to look through my photos. I started going through all the crazy cute photos of my kids, Titus (5) and Penny (3) . They’d obviously got hold of my phone at some point and taken a LOAD of silly photos of themselves. This made me laugh. Within a few minutes, I found myself full of energy and refocused. These images of them made me realize how much I longed to see them and this longing filled me with joyful energy. I felt rerouted, full of purpose and hopeful of my journeys end.
Since I’ve been home, this little moment in the airport has been on my mind. I’ve felt God speak to me through it, using it as an analogy for some spiritual truths. Often God speaks through life’s little moments and I believe this was one of them. So here’s what I sense God is saying about the weary traveler and the energy of longing.
The Weary Traveler
First off, God started speaking to me about the weary traveler. How there are many, many, many of them in His church. They don’t necessarily look bedraggled cynics either. Some are pastors, some worship leaders, some are the best attendees, others had opted out of church completely.
I sensed that God was sad. Not at the weary traveler but at a Christian culture whose frustration and disdain for the weary traveler had silenced this vital voice. A voice that brings more questions than answers, a voice that searches for meaning and authenticity, a voice that takes time to listen to. I think it’s been silenced because it’s an uncomfortable voice, one which examines truth and asks the hard questions.
In John Bunyan’s famous book “Pilgrims progress”, life is likened to a spiritual journey from this world to the heavenly world. There are many stops along the way and many stories told. The further you go the more understanding you gain, the more questions you have and the more people you meet. There are times when the traveler can feel weary on that journey, especially emotionally and spiritually. Weariness can cause us to go round and round in circles losing our sense of direction (which is wise to be aware of) but it can also cause us to dig deep and rise above the trivial drives of our culture.
Weariness is a real part of the spiritual journey we’re on. There’s a reason for weariness for the Christian and it’s not because someone’s out of sync with God! It’s because there are times of our journey where we’ve visited multiple stops and seen them multiple times. When this happens you can see things from a different perspective, a more broad more complicated world unfolds and the spiritual eye candy that used to energize you doesn’t do it anymore. I believe it’s a mature part of our journey, one that can refine you if you understand God purposes within it. It has the ability, if surrounded by love to bring us to a place of truth and revelation.
I believe God wants us to re-think our approach to the weary traveler. We need to know that wisdom is crouching at the door when a weary traveler is present. And, if you’re the weary traveler, God wants you to know you’re on a divine journey, where your dissatisfaction with the status quo can bring renewal to not only you but many others.
The Children of Promise
Saying that, no-one ( I know) wants to stay in a perpetual state of weariness. It’s supposed to serve a purpose for a season. The problem though, is when you’ve reached that place of weariness, the spiritual comfort foods that used to lift you up don’t do it anymore. The motivational preach, other people’s vision, the books, podcasts, worship CDs lose their edge. It’s not to say that they lose their place all together but any weary traveler knows the truth that these alone are not YOUR faith. The only thing that will set you alive again will be pure true vision that God has intertwined with your unique DNA. You hit a point where the only thing that counts is the real thing – it has to be your faith, your vision, your passion and no-one else’s.
So here’s where I interject with a prophetic intuition. I sense that vision is going to be imparted in this season to the many spiritual weary travelers. I believe that God is going to reveal the ‘children of promise’ to these individuals through prophetic gifts of the Holy Spirit.
The children of promise, is my way of saying, the dreams and legacy for an individual. They are as real and authentic as the blood ties of family. These are the unique purposes for each person that aren’t influenced by popularity or trend. This is the real deal – what you were made for.
For some of you’ve been on a journey where you’ve had to sift through your beliefs and your world view. You’ve had to reject what’s not real, in order to reach a place that is. A path that’s not always good for popularity! But I believe that Gods divine timing is hovering over this subject. Maybe your one stop away from finding what home is? What real is for you.
The sign of authenticity is the energy of longing
Intuitiveness is key to the weary traveler. They cannot be coerced into passion. The ‘world shaker’ dreams, ‘drive to be special’ mandates are like distant cousins, fondly remembered but not part of their real world.
Most weary travelers have tried to buy into passion more than once. But the trying itself is the haunting reminder that this passion belongs to someone else.
But I believe when the ‘children of promise’ are revealed, authenticity will be proved. You see, when God Himself shows you your children of promise, in that same split second you will receive the energy of longing.
When I was sat in Philadelphia airport looking at the photos of my kids, I instantly wanted to see them. This longing was accompanied by energy and joy, not frustration or travail. I knew they were mine, I knew they weren’t far and this energized me.
I believe a vision is coming, to show you your children of promise. Some of these prophetic signs will remind you of what’s already yours, some prophetic photos will show you the children to come. Either way, the test of authencity will be how it effects you – if you receive the energy of longing I believe this is the bona fide partnership of God working in and through you.
So look up weary traveler. You’re a treasure to this world. And so are your children.