Love the journey

I heard on a podcast the other day the saying, "The man who loves walking will prosper more than the man who loves the destination." In essence, the saying emphasizes the importance of enjoying the journey as much as the destination, and suggests that those who do so are likely to have a more fulfilling and successful experience overall.

Each season we set out on a journey with the end goal being a state title. For the past seven years, we have found ourselves in the state title game. Every day I thank God for the opportunity to be a part of the journey.

As a coach, the journey entails service before self. It helps to humble me as I often take on duties and responsibilities which seem mundane. Whether it is cutting the grass, stripping the field or filling in holes with dirt, I take pride in the work because I truly enjoy the journey.

"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!" - 2 Corinthians 5:17

This verse reminds us that as Christians, we have been made new through our faith in Christ. We are no longer bound by our old ways of living, but have been given a new life and identity in Him.

As Christians, the journey should be enjoyable and not an act of suffering so as to attain Heaven. When we are in Christ, we see the world through a different lens. We live by faith and not on our own understanding (2 Corinthians 5:7) and this brings us peace from fear, guilt, pride and other sinful tools of the enemy.

I pray that the young men who come into our program enjoy the journey. I desire that they will hit goals along the way of getting stronger, becoming more confident in their own abilities, learning to persevere through pain and frustration, among others.

However, the goals should be a by-product of the journey. If the goals are the most important element of the effort then it becomes about the individual and less about the team. The net result of this is dissatisfaction not only with the process but also with the results.

When you fall in love with the journey, everything else takes care of itself. The journey is about overcoming objectives, finding new dragons to slay and obstacles to overcome. The journey is about suffering, failing, learning and overcoming.

The same is true of our Christian walk. The journey is about sinning, falling short of God's standards, learning, serving and ultimately loving the journey and those on it with us. Love others and love the journey. The process is more important and fulfilling than just focusing on the end result or destination be it a state title or Heaven.