Exploring With God

Earlier this year, I said that I was learning about who I am. What I like, what I don't like, enjoy, don't enjoy, all that stuff. And in this, I asked God to help me; I wanted help seeing and learning about who I am.

The next word I heard was to explore.

I did things I've never done, been in places and rooms I've never been in, and learned things about myself and how equipped I am. I started looking into going back to school and looking at my past transcripts.

Another word I heard was to enjoy.

I started engaging in things just for fun. Started taking long car rides, listening to music; enjoying the little things. I even started playing a little bit of pickleball. I started reading books because I said I wanted to become someone who enjoyed reading. Growing up, I always admired people who read a lot. Because when I read, it always made my head hurt. To read and understand what I'm reading at the same time was a challenge for me. I could read the words, of course, but to understand them in context.... mmmm nah. But I took on this challenge recently and have been honestly enjoying it.

And not too long ago, I asked God, "Am I going in the right direction? Where am I?"

Then He gave me this analogy: A father and son go out into the woods to explore. The son starts picking up rocks and tree branches. He starts seeing insects he's never seen before, flowers, and all sorts of things. Then the son asks his dad, "Am I going the right way?"

Immediately I saw what God was saying.....

Are you going the right way?…….


What do you mean "am I going the right way?" We're exploring. The point of exploring is to learn; which is the very thing I asked God for. There's no destination so to speak; if you're learning, that's the point.

I had recently realized that purpose is not always about a destination, but sometimes it's about being and living in relationship with God, learning of Him and yourself. Or, walking in the woods, exploring with your dad, learning about the different aspects of life. What do you mean "destination" in this?


I have no idea if I'll go back to school, but I'm exploring it and I trust that if that's where God wants me, He'll lead me there. I have no idea what journaling and writing and photography will turn into, but whatever it is, I'm sure God will show me where it's supposed to live. I asked God "Where am I", and He reminded me of what I asked for. And that showed me where I was. And it also showed me where He was, "I'm right here with you in the woods, exploring with you."

I've been treating exploration like transportation. If I'm driving somewhere, questions like, "where am I?" and, "am I going the right way?", make sense. But to ask those same questions to your dad when he took you out into the woods specifically to explore, constantly asking whether you’re headed toward a destination, misunderstands why you’re there.

This isn’t about a destination; it’s about what I asked for, which was also in conformity with what God wanted: for me to see myself, learn of myself, and see how faithful God is in the development of His word in me. He gave me what I asked for.