Spiritual Journey

I often describe the Christian Life as a journey, although I am confident that there are other words that can be used.

The Scriptures are repleat with examples that support such an example. Jesus Himself spoke of a narrow road that believers walk, while describing a wide road that leads to destruction. I would surmise that life in general is a journey... which road we are on is the only difference.

 

A marathon, not a sprint.

 

I see it as climbing a mountain. When the climbing gets too tough, I can tunnel through it. When that proves impossible, I can go around it. Whatever course I follow, I reach the other side, and that was my goal.

Cheers,

Jim

 

I don't really see it as a journey, probably because when I was in the New Age, I saw my spiritual life then as a journey because there was no definitive answer, or one did not know for sure when one would find the answer.

Christ is our answer, so I'm not a journey to find truth or find the answer. I'm living out my life in Christ as He directs it (I am trying to anyway), is probably the way I would put it.

I guess a journey to what? is the natural response to saying one's spiritual life is a journey.

I am also very biased against Merton since he ended up thinking Buddhism was great.

 

I can agree with this. I think the phrase 'spiritual journey' is probably one of the worst phrases a christian can use in todays culture to describe our walk with and in Christ because of the cults and New Agers using the same terminology but with a different emphasis. (no offense meant to the OP).

IMO - One main reason is that the world uses this phrase to depict an "all roads lead to Rome" mentality and when Christians use it the worldly understanding is what it understood and not particularly what the Christian might have meant. Why use such a phrase like 'spiritual journey' when our walk transends the spiritual/metaphysical and brings it into the physical which binds them both together in our lives so the world can see that God truly lives and Christ is Lord.

Our walk is a spiritual one, yes, but the culture needs to understand (as do many believers) that "our" walk is with Christ and to be made flesh or better placed into physical action and not some metaphysical thing competeing with the cults. We 'walk in Christ', and we 'grow in Christ'

As I stated previously, nothing against the Op and nothig specifically against the usage of the term "spiritual journey" but I feel we, as believers, have identified ourselves to closely to worldly things so that the world does not really see much much difference in the 'journeys' we all takes to spiritual enlightenment. Personally I just think a better could be used but if one will use this phrase please clarify what you are meaning in no uncertain terms.

 

I see my journey here on earth as one long trial I must suffer as God cleanses and prepares me for eternity in a perfect home. I'm in a foreign land (earth) and long to go home.

 

I do believe that we are on a spiritual journey as well as a physical journey on earth. For some that physical journey will take them many far places, for others the journey will take place in a small area. These journeys are of the same importance because we are sent by God to take these journeys.

These journeys will also try us, especially when we choose our own paths and ways and not follow the direction set by God. When we choose our own direction, our journey may take us to places where God has not sent us. No matter where we find ourselves, God always has a direction for us to go if we will only listen.

Christians are on a spiritual journey.
A journey where the destination has already been achieved. (Heaven)
A journey where Jesus Christ has already marked and paid the passage for each Christian.

We (Christians) need only to stay on that path which is a straight and narrow one, because only a few take this path. Only Christians can walk the straight and narrow path.
We will tend to stray and go on what, at the time, seems to be the wide and easy path. No matter the path we take, we will stumble and fall.(the nature of man)
When we fall on the straight and narrow path other Christians should and will be there to help us up, just as we should help them when they fall.

When we fall on the wide and easy path we will find that those around us will not help but they will step over and on us, keeping us down. (hmmm some easy path)
When we Christians do realize we are on the wrong path in our spiritual journey, all we need to do is to cry out to God for help and He will send the comforter, Holy Spirit, to set us on that narrow path that Jesus has already trail-blazed for us.

When the wide and seemly easy path crosses the straight and narrow path, that is the time when the unbelievers can choose to change course and go on the straight and narrow path by accepting Jesus Christ as their Lord and Saviour.

Only the strong can stay on that straight and narrow path. Since we are weak we must rely on God's strength to be strong. When we do this, we are stronger than we can imagine.

 

I don't know how appropriate the word "journey" is. People use different words for different reasons. Paul used the word "Race". He did so to express a clear knowledge of the beginning and the end of the distance traveled. And a clear plan in between. The word "Journey" often indicates a lack of knowledge, and many take a sort of pride in that uncertainty. Hyper-intellectuals take a real pride in being able to ask questions and never having answers.

But we have the Word of God. Because the Word of God is complete it converts the soul, because it is the truth it makes those without knowledge wise, because its precepts are complete it brings joy, and because it is without error it opens the eyes.

The Spiritual man can receive these things because the teaching of God comes only through His Spirit. But the natural man needs a journey because he cannot receive these things. They are foolishness to him because he cannot know them.

 

I think the problem for me is that "journey" nowadays is a very loaded term spiritually speaking. "Prayer" is more generic nowadays than "journey."

Another issue I have with the word is that the Emerging church is using it a lot, but they are saying we are all on a journey together (believers and unbelievers).

 

In Luke 13:33 Jesus said he must continue his journey
In John 4:6 Jesus stopped at Jacob's well because he was weary from his journey

 

In my day gay meant happy person. I will not surrender a perfectly good word because of some group of poofsters!

Journey is a perfectly good word for the spiritual adventure leading to glory. Each person must define his own tour in the spirtual life on earth.

Cheers,

Jim

 

chuckling at Jim -

but it's really hard to leave the race analogy in the dust AND since it's day in and day out, I like the marathon reference.

 

The word "journey" in the op is used in the context of an analogy. You are presenting literal contexts. Why?

 

No confusion meant. I was simply stating why I thought the word journey" was an appropriate usage.

 

I live in Memphis... when I get in my car or jump on an airplane and travel to Chicago, IL or Asheville, NC or WPB, FL I am going on a journey. I know my ultimate destination (that is fixed) but I do not necessarily know the details of how that journey will progress.

The same can be said of our spiritual journey with Jesus. I know my destination, but how the trip progresses and what I may encounter on the way is an unknown.