5 PRACTICES FOR MOVING FORWARD WHEN YOU CAN'T SEE WHAT'S AHEAD
I’VE TAKEN A SMALL BREAK FROM POSTING… READ ON FOR THE REASON WHY AND WHAT I’M DOING ABOUT IT.
Sometimes, we find ourselves on a trip, driving in an unfamiliar part of the country. And, through no planning on our part, we are in the middle of some sort of weather chaos. Could be a whiteout snowstorm, a torrential downpour or a dense fog. For the purpose of my story - it’s a really heavy fog.
I was on the Blue Ridge Parkway a few months ago and after a night of heavy rain, as we climbed in elevation, the fog got more and more dense. Most portions of the Parkway are very curvy and you can usually enjoy some really great scenery. But on this occasion, I could only see a few feet in front of me. Many of us are tempted during these conditions to pull over and wait it out - that’s not me, but perhaps some of you. Fog is especially weird because you can try as hard as you can to see further up the road, but you just won’t. You can squint, you can use binoculars, if it’s night time, you can turn the brights on, but none of that will help. The only way to see further, is to simply keep moving. However, you have to adjust the way you move forward.
Here is part of my fam on that Blue Ridge Parkway trip, We did the rough ridge trail hike that day - that’s the Linn Cove Viaduct in the distance, well - it’s there… trust me!
Such is my life right now. Not you? That’s okay - because you never know when you’ll drive right into a season where things suddenly are not clear. So here are 5 practices that I have found that may help us both navigate not only into - but THROUGH a season of uncertainty in life.
I started this journey of writing, blogging, posting and sharing my life and leadership learnings a few months ago. I started strong. But as I drove through my first foggy patch - I panicked and slowed to a stop. I metaphorically pulled over to the side of the road, turned on my hazards, and began to wait it out. However, on the road and in our life journey it is impossible to keep moving when you are stopped. See Newton’s Laws of Inertia - “things in motion tend to stay in motion…” Things got really busy for me and I got distracted and out of sync.
But I’m moving again, just making sure to follow these principles below. (are any of you tracking with my analogy here??).
So here are 5 practices to keep in mind when the conditions get difficult - plus a bonus step to keep things fun.
1. SLOW YOUR PACE
This doesn’t mean stop. As I said, the only way to continue to see further is to keep moving ahead. But you really do need to slow down. The pace of natural life moves really really fast. Culture makes it move faster. The expectations of people around you make you feel like it needs to move faster, after all - “life is short”! But a race car driver needs a pit stop… A basketball team needs a time out… the human body needs sleep… and the journey of life needs a slower pace. (Sometimes, in a very rhythmic way, we need to pay attention to starts and stops and be sure to keep rests and sabbaths as part of our rhythm - that is vital. But that is different than getting paralyzed by fear and coming to a stop as a reaction to uncertainty).
2. TURN DOWN THE DISTRACTIONS
I don’t know why - and this doesn’t even make sense… but when I’m driving and enter the fog, or even a really hard rain storm… I turn down the radio. Those things don’t even correlate, but instinctively, I turn it down and ask my passengers to be a little more quiet. Eliminating the distractions around me allow me to be more focused on some of the most important things that need my full attention… namely, the road ahead. There are lots of distractions in our lives - many of which we voluntarily make part of our everyday life. We can’t turn off EVERY distraction… but we can turn many of them way down. Take a break from all your social media for 30 days. Unplug your cable tv. Have someone change your Netflix password and not let you know what it is. Just turn down the distractions.
3. STOP LOOKING AROUND YOU
Normally, I would watch the overlooks and the mountains and other sights. But when conditions get difficult, I really shouldn’t be looking at the scenery, especially the people around me in which I am tempted to compare myself. I really need to create a time of focus. For me, because I follow the leading and the example of Jesus, I need to ensure that I am focused on my prayer life, reading scripture every day, and exposing myself to good counsel and good teaching. Seems simple, but it can be really difficult to stay disciplined in this.
4. ASK FOR HELP NAVIGATING
I don’t like asking for help navigating or with directions in general. It reminds me that maybe I don’t know what I’m doing or where I’m going. But the reality is that sometimes… (gulp) I don’t know what I’m doing or where I’m going! That is reality, and that is okay. God has put amazing people in my life from whom I can ask help. I have been seeing a professional counselor for several years to help me navigate. My wife and I invested our personal money in a week long counseling intensive to help us gain more clarity on the road ahead. I have one or two close friends who have un-fettered access to me and all that I’m facing and they have permissions to challenge and ask questions, but they also encourage and pray for me. It’s uncomfortable - but it helps. Get Help. Trust the voices of that help.
5. DON’T STOP
I’ve already said it, but it is our tendency. I see people all the time pulled off on the side of the road to wait it out. That may work, but you could be there for hours… even days. But IF you’ve slowed your pace, eliminate your distractions, stay focused on the goal ahead and don’t stop moving, you’ll keep seeing just enough road ahead to stay on it - in your lane! And pretty soon - you’ll drive out of the fog.
BONUS : DON’T FORGET THE FUN
As I finished the list above, it occurred to me that the whole point of being on the Blue Ridge Parkway was not just to get to where I was going… It was to enjoy being with my family in a beautiful part of the country doing some really fun things. As you slow your pace, don’t cut out the fun parts of life. Pay attention to your hobbies and life-giving activities. I love how one counselor once parsed the word “recreation” to help us understand that fun in life helps us to “re-create” ourselves in both a physical and emotional way, but that is also a very spiritual renewal. Don’t neglect this step - it will only make us grumpy.
Things WILL get clearer. It may take a while. I know it will for me. Heck - I’m still IN the fog! Even as I write this, I don’t know what’s around the next few turns. I know enough to see the road right in front of me and it is enough to keep moving forward. I think Jesus knows this about us. If we knew the whole story - the complete picture of what lies at the end our road, we would take over. We would fabricate our own path to get there. But there is a journey that Jesus is interested in for us. Things to experience and people to influence along the way. A slower pace that is focused and stays moving, and that stays dependent on our navigator is one that will find joy in not just the destination but also in the journey.
“Your WORD, the logos or person of Jesus, is a Lamp unto my feet, and a LIGHT unto my path.”
A lamp for our feet and light for our path can only shine for the next few steps ahead. We can’t see around the next few turns with a light like that. We can see enough to take another step - then another - then another.
That is the journey. It’s scary at times. I’m afraid - even now. But I know that God is good and His light is perfect. I’ll step in faith where he guides and HE will be faithful to continue to guide and be near. When you take steps in faith, He will be faithful to guide you as well. He’s not interested in playing some sadistic game with our lives and emotions. We can cast all our cares and all our concerns on Him, and He will always be most careful with us - with you.
Are you in a fog right now as well. Leave a comment below and I’ll be praying for you in your journey.
