Finding Peace Where You Are
Any place with the possibility of adventure is my kind of place. My soul thrives on adventure and travel and nature. But, I rely on these so much that when I am in a place that is lacking these things, I feel so unfulfilled. This is a constant battle going on in my life. I feel like my life is not fulfilled until everyday is filled with adventure and exploration.
I’m currently living back home in Louisiana, which you might know has no mountains, no beaches, and not a whole lot of opportunities for adventures. I feel myself constantly fighting this battle of wanting to get out so bad, but not really having a place to go. I have been so unsettled and without peace at home for so long that I decided I really needed to talk to someone about it and figure out why my heart is so restless here.
I decided to talk to a priest at the church that I am a part of and just ask him why I’m having this constant battle in my heart. And he gave me a totally new perspective to so many things and the ways that I view life.
He told me that I am relying so much on nature and adventure to bring me joy that I’m missing the actual point of life. The only thing that I actually NEED in life is Jesus. Jesus gives us things like adventure and nature to show his love to us, but we don’t need them to be happy or be fulfilled. Everything on this earth has one underlying purpose, and that is to bring glory to God. Any other reason besides this one is getting in the way of its actual purpose. Things God has created can only contribute to bringing Him praise; they can’t take the place of Him.
He also told me that if you live life so focused on tomorrow, you’re going to completely miss out on what you have today. God works in the present. He works in every second of every day everywhere you will ever be. Life is about finding the beauty in what is right here in front of you, even if it’s not exactly what your heart is desiring. God was telling me that I need to find peace with being home so that when I finally do find an opportunity to leave, I’m not just running away. I will be okay with leaving, but I will also be okay with coming back. I was trying so hard to force things to work out, that it was honestly just stressing me out more than anything.
Home constantly reminds me of all of the scars and brokenness from my past that I am always unsettled when I spend an extended period of time here. But since I’ve been so focused on those things and constantly trying to get out, I was missing that my family is here, I was missing that I have great friends here, and I was missing that the amazing culture that I love so much is here. There is so much beauty and so much joy here and I have been completely blind to it for so many years.
Since talking to that priest, I have had such a different perspective of life. I’m learning to see every second of my life as a gift. I’m learning that life is not about the crazy, big adventures that we embark on; it’s the small stuff in between. God does not promise us everything we want, He promises us everything we need. My heart deeply desires places where I can be completely immersed in nature and Jesus knows that. But He also knows that I don’t have peace at home, and He desires that for me.
There will definitely be times in my life where I am in a place without much adventure. Now is a really great example. But that doesn’t mean that those times in life are any less spectacular than the moments when I’m at the peak of a mountain. And that also doesn’t mean that God is any less present in those times. God is always there and we need to always find ways to praise Him even when we are in the valleys. Right now, wherever you are, this is the adventure that God has for you. This exact present moment is where He is. This is where God wants you right now. Be there! Fear of missing out and anxiety are not of God, they are of the devil. Don’t be scared of missing out. Life with Christ is a great adventure! He knows the desires of your heart, and He will give you nothing less than what He has promised you.
I know that I will eventually find a place I can call home where I can be immersed in nature and adventure. But that is a worry of tomorrow. Today, Jesus wants me here. He wants me to learn to appreciate and enjoy this time that I have with my family. We are given so many gifts and blessings and we need to learn to not take them for granted. We need to learn to see the beauty of what’s right in front of us.
If you are in a place feeling unsettled and not at peace, maybe that is a sign that there is somewhere better for you, so don’t be afraid to put the time and effort into finding somewhere else where you can be fulfilled. But in the meantime, don’t miss the amazing adventures that you have right in front of you and don’t try to force it. Every single day is filled with gifts and blessings, it all just depends on how you choose to see them and use them.
Do you enjoy reading about all my travels and adventures? Would you like to help my adventures continue by supporting me financially? If you do, then please know, that would mean the world to me! To do this, you can go to my Patreon page to choose which level you would like to support me at! Thanks for your love and support and remember to make every day an adventure!
Therefore do not worry about tomorrow; tomorrow will take care of itself. Today’s trouble is sufficient for today. Matthew 6:34
