Crossroads

You and I live in exciting, yet disturbing times. Technology and surplus solve problems we have faced for centuries, yet bring with them a new set of problems. We can feed the world and what do we do? Get fat. We can access the world's knowledge and what do we do? Netflix. I'm guilty on both counts. As a man of faith, I find today's world particularly challenging because prevailing culture treats several of the principles I hold dear as passé, laughable, and in some cases morally wrong.

As a result, I have to choose every day what path to follow.

That's something I think a lot of people don't know about me. Maybe you can relate. I like to think it's something you and I have in common as human beings. It's easy to label big life decisions as crossroads. Where and what to study and do for work? Decisions about relationships and where to live. Now that I've passed through a number of those decisions, I've realized that they really don't matter. At least not nearly as much as the truly crucial crossroads I face every single day.

The crossroad of prayer

If you think about it, prayer is kind of a big deal. A leap of faith. To pray is to act on the belief that there is someone (a God) listening. Every day I choose to pray to a Heavenly Father I believe actually exists. This is a choice I make every day. Usually every morning and every night, and often in between.

The crossroad of seeking

I believe in lifelong learning. For me this includes spiritual learning. Seeking every day takes effort and diligence. And motivation. I do not seek as consistently as I pray, but that's the point...the choice to seek is a crossroads. When I choose to seek on a regular basis, life is sunnier. Choices are clearer. In a special way, life makes more sense when I draw on wisdom beyond my own to learn and grow spiritually.

Prayer and seeking are daily crossroads for me because they represent choices I make. When I choose to pray and seek, my faith and hope are sustained. I have the power to make better choices. When I choose to neglect prayer and seeking, I become lost over time. Choosing to do these small things enable me to live a life of big faith.