Copyright ©2019 by The Good Elder. All rights reserved.
By the time we reach 30 years old, most of us have learned how to drive, have lived on our own (and perhaps away from our home/family), have gone on a plane ride, taken a cruise, visited a foreign country, gotten married, etc. These and other milestone events are common, expected, and even encouraged by family, friends, and loved ones. But, for many, we only experience many (if not all) of these moments after we've taken individual leaps of faith.
Driving on the highway is scary at first (still is for some), and yet, one day, we did it! Looking out of the terminal window, we marvel at the fact that a 100-ton metal machine can fly and not fall out of the sky; and even amid disbelief, fear, we board the plane in faith (and some with Valium too). Living on your own means cooking your own food, cleaning your own house, killing any critters yourself, and paying your own bills. And, the further away you are from home, the more self-sufficient you have to be.
Even with relationships, any married couple will tell you that "it's not just a piece of paper". It takes real work to mesh two lives together and keep them together amid all the pressures of work, family, kids, finances, and the miscellaneous challenges of life.
In short, whenever we step through one of life's doors, we are stepping into the unknown and taking a leap of faith. No matter if you're a pioneer, or if countless others have done it before you, when YOU do it, it is YOUR first time. But, if we press on in that faith, we will discover how our life magically opens up beyond that fear to unforeseen knowledge and opportunities that expand our horizons and literally change who we are and how we think. This archetypal life experience has been given to us in scripture, so let us explore the concept, "a new day, a new walk."
Let us use two scriptures help us to appreciate a couple of harsh truths about the nature of life in general: Genesis 32:24-28 and Ecclesiastes 3:10-13.
Although we tend to avoid or reject this truth when presented in the macrocosm, the story of Jacob shows us that this is actually a repeating pattern in creation on even the most mundane levels. We see, in Jacob's example, a common occurrence--coming home. Whom among us, who has ventured away from home, has not come back home at some point to see loved ones and to see/face people and situations that we left behind? We can relate to his journey. We can relate to the sense of "unfinished business." Perhaps we can even relate to his sense of apprehension and even fear as he thought of facing his unfinished business (with his brother).
Fortunately, Jacob had previously had an encounter with God, during which God had made certain promises, as stated in Genesis 28:
[15] ...behold, I am with thee, and will keep thee in all places whither thou goest, and will bring thee again into this land; for I will not leave thee, until I have done that which I have spoken to thee of.
Yet, even with this promise, Jacob was left alone in the darkness to wrestle with this situation. Dueling processes of thought may have included: "God promised" versus "Esau will kill me", "He gave it to me" versus "I tricked him".
Even while struggling in the darkness, Jacob maintained a certain awareness and presence of mind to realize that there was a purposefulness in his struggle. He realized that God was working, and so he demanded of his opponent, "I will not let thee go, except thou bless me." He realized that the discomfort caused by and the effort required by the struggle, and the subsequent change in his walk was the very point of the struggle!
If Jacob's trip home was going to be different, better, more peaceful than his departure (just as God had promised), it turned out that HE had to be changed, he had to walk in a new way. And so, on that new day, he (literally) had a new walk!
Even with God's promise, this account teaches us a crucial detail about God by omission. In short, God promised Jacob the what, but not the how. Jacob did come home in peace, but that peace came because, due to his struggle, Jacob was hurt and broken, but changed (and eventually restored). It was this unforeseen change in himself, and further, his willingness to participate in and exert effort toward that change, that helped in the fulfillment of God's promise!
Here, we see a lived example of a universal concept, about which Albert Einstein famously commented. He said, "We can't solve problems by using the same kind of thinking we used when we created them."
In the moment, Jacob chose not to be a victim of circumstances, but chose rather to be an agent of change and a facilitator of his own destiny. And, paradoxically, he drew the strength to face his fear from the very promise that he helped to bring to fruition! Thus did Solomon write (Ecclesiastes 3):
[10] I have seen the travail, which God hath given to the sons of men to be exercised in it.
[11] He hath made every thing beautiful in His time: also He hath set the world in their heart, so that no man can find out the work that God maketh from the beginning to the end.
Or, in the words of my mentor Rabbi Jehu A. Crowdy, Jr., "We may not know what we're doing, but God knows what He is doing!"
This truth is profoundly humbling, because it helps us to see that God doesn't just work on the other guy, God works on us, too! And, fortunately or not, we don't always see it. But, as we make our way through life and deal with the challenges that it brings, we can either participate willingly to bring about positive change in our own lives, or we can continue to (pretend to) be unwitting victims of circumstances.
As I've said before, "No one comes through life unscathed." Just like a football player after a game, whether you win or lose, everyone has some ache, pain, scar, or injury that lets them know that they didn't just sit on the sidelines. And, the fact that they finished the game showed that they had the will and determination to press on, regardless of the score, regardless of being blocked or tackled, regardless of dropping a pass or missing the kick... or regardless if they had a record-breaking performance!
We all came here to the earth with an ultimate destination (or state of being) in mind. In short, we souls all came here, agreed to be born and enter and dwell in the world of flesh so that we would be changed! The first phase of this repeating pattern is to become uncomfortable with that which was once comfortable. In other words, we find that our present circumstances are no longer desired. In many cases, an inner yearning may compel us to move forward; in other cases, particularly when we are procrastinating or being obstinate, life employs pain and discomfort to prod us. Whatever the motivation is, change is called for, and at some point, we must accept it or be left behind.
As is often the case, fear stands in the way. But, we can liken it to a door to step through (if we find the key that unlocks it). Maybe the key is to be more open-minded... or, to fix a problem that we caused... or, to undo some damage that we inflicted. Maybe the key is to be thankful for making it this far along the way. Maybe the key is to be patient while God prepares things for us on the other side of the door. Whenever we see the door, our initial challenge is to not turn away from it, but recognize that it, by its very existence, informs us and invites us to partake in the more that is just on the other side of it.
Fear can also be like a toolbox, compelling us to draw out (spiritual) tools needed once we open the door to the new opportunity. We may need courage, we may need to forgive, we may need to be humble to receive what is on the other side. But if, from thence--from this crossroads, this opportunity, this fork where fear often meets our future, where challenges press us, where doubt discourages us--from thence, if thou shalt seek the LORD thy God, thou shalt find Him...!
And after a long, treacherous night, we will discover that we have entered a new day, with a new walk.
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