The Labyrinth

The season of Lent is one of transformation, as your old self is stripped away and you are made pure and holy. It is time to reconcile your life with God, and cut the worldly ties that bind you down. Doubt, fear, worries… “do not worry about tomorrow, for today’s worries are enough…” I feel like these specifically are tying me down and inhibiting my view of God’s plan for my life.

A labyrinth is a fixed path with only one route. There are no splits in the path or dead ends. There is one way in, and one way out. I know this ahead of time, but still find myself wondering where the path will go to reach the center. I try to follow the path with my eyes, but always end up getting lost. I only know where each foot is placed in front of me; the rest is left to trust. I trust that no matter what I see, God sees farther. I can glimpse the road ahead, see as far as the next curve, but after that life’s a mystery, and only God has the map. The labyrinth turns and doubles back. I follow next to my first path. A turn around, not a dead end, there is still a way out. Each trouble and obstacle is placed in my way for a reason. To make me stronger, so that when I surpass it I am one step closer to the ultimate destination. I stray away from the center, still following the same path laid ahead of me. Sometimes you have to get farther away from where you are going to end up in the right place. The footing underneath changes, the ground becomes hard, only to soften again later. Transitions are taking place, changing is inevitable. I finally reach the center, God’s center, where I am taken up in His arms in perfect love, and I am not worried, I do not doubt, I am not afraid, because “there is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear.”