He talks about the difference between Adventure and Adversity. All outdoorsmen (and women:) are called to nature by a desire for adventure. However, often we don't find adventure... we find adversity. The major cause of this, he says, is that we are either naive or unprepared. Either they don't know what they're getting into when they go out, or they are underprepared so that the fun adventure that they had been anticipating turns nasty and the adventure becomes adversity.So, he's talking about not having the proper equipement and knowledge: a map, weather forcast, compass, knife, hatchet, tent, etc... If you don't have the RIGHT equipement and knowledge things can go south pretty fast.
This reminded me of 1 Pet 3:15 where it says that, as Christians, we always need to be prepared. I am a firm believer that God has called us, as his followers, to live lives of adventure. I don't think that God has called any one of us to a mundane life. However, if our Christian life is to be an adventure we need to be prepared... otherwise our faith can quickly move from adventure to adversity.
What do you think?
Can you think of any examples of this?
8 comments:
Song of the Paddle? Timothy, where do you find the time for this stuff?
I see what you're saying about being prepared and I think your right. But sometimes the adventure is all about figuring out how to conquer the adversity with what you have. At least it is for me. Like renovations, I've seen houses in construction and have done a little myself, but most of the projects I've started recently I just hoped that I could put it back together. And when it comes together I can say, "I did that."
Sadly the thought of adversity leaves many Christians on the sidelines and they never experience life to the fullest. What fun would an adventure be if you got home and had no stories of the adversity you conquered? "Oh I went on this great trip, and nothing happened." How boring. Perhaps adversity creates adventure, with the right attitude.
Tim S.
If we can accept that adversity is part of life, and perhaps even part of the adventure, we're more likely to make it through.If we expect only adventure, we're more likely to quit at adversity. I like books like Lord of the Rings and the Narnia tales that help us to realize that it is there, it is hard, but if we persist we will overcome. What book or movie would be complete without a little (or a lot) of adversity?
I totally agree with you guys. I think we're saying pretty much the same thing, but bear with me.
To continue with the Mason/Outdoors analogy: the point is awareness and preparedness. For example, if I'm going hiking and am aware of the fact that there will be rain/sleet and temperatures between 5 and -5 I can attempt to prepare myself for this difficulty. Or I can ignore this information/remain ignorant of the dangers and put myself into a situation where it is likely that I will get hypothermia.
The point isn't the danger/difficulty. It remains the same in both situations. The point is anticipating the danger/difficulty and (as much as is possible) preparing one's self to weather it.
By wearing the proper clothing -5 with freezing rain (as miserable as it may be) becomes part of the greater adventure. By being unprepared for -5 and freezing rain hypothermia puts you into a life or death situaion which is never desireable.
We all know that difficulties will come in life. What sort of equipement/awareness do we need to make these difficulties part of our greater adventure (as hard as they may be) and not put us in a life and death situation (ie. a "spiritual hypothermia").
I have to say that I like the idea of this blog, but I'm a little unsure about the application. I, like you, think that we are not made to live mundane lives. I think, or I hope would be more accurate, that life can be a grand epic, living far away from obvious and expected way of life and somewhere in the realm of the unknown. How exciting... But alas! this ends up not being the case most of the time. I find that I end up being consumed with the daily drudge, sigh.
So what I would like to know is what is your prescription for the Christian then? Of what kind is this preparedness? In preparing for a camping trip we can take along 'things', but what are the 'things' that are essential to the Christian. The Bible? Or is there more to it as well? Or are you suggesting if having a more prepared attitude in order to see the adventure when we are presented with it? Or maybe facing our daily reality with a spirit of adventure, like "I have to write an essay on a topic I'm not interested in, YES, adventure!"
Awareness and preparedness, eh?
I think that's significant. Sounds like "Put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground..."
Scripture is key, and I have found it hugely helpful when I am going through a struggle to find a Bible character who has gone through a similar thing. Even when going through blah times I think of the Israelites in the desrt just putting one foot in front of the other to keep on going.Part of Satan's strategy is to convince us that we are the only ones going through this adversity and obviously it has slipped God's attention or it wouldn't have happened. If we can identify with someone in the Bible it debunks Satan's message, and then even going throught the desert can become an adventure.
First of all, why would someone go hiking when they KNOW it could be -5 and freezing rain?? Can't get by that one... anyway... I think the discussion here is very much culturally sound in North America. We are a "crisis oriented" culture in that we plan for future "possible" mishaps and to some degree believe we can control our destinies by this planning. Most other cultures in the world are non-crisis oriented. Meaning that they "react" to adversity based upon the present circumstances and past knowledge. This may be why it is easier to send out scores of non-western missionaries for every western missionary we send. Our western Christians and organizations plan for adventure to avoid adversity. So we raise enough support to have emergency plane tickets home, retirement savings, children's college funds etc. planning in order to avoid the adversity that is ahead of them. Many non-western missionaries leave with minimal or no support, live in mud-huts like the locals (or however the locals live!) and deal with the crisis- the adversity- as it come up.
I think the scriptures call for a measure of both- The one who saved up enough to store his grain in barns and was planning for his future was not rich toward God was chastised and died! The disciples were told at one point to leave without taking much of anythign with them- or having plans on where to stay or how to eat- a shock to us crisis-oriented- planning to avoid adversity folks! There are Scriptures pointing to the wisdom of planning to, but as children of our culture- we are probably already thinking of those! We like those ones!
sorry for the diatribe, I woke up an hour earlier than I had planned in order to call the canada customs and talk to them to avoid getting turned back at the border again--- Planning to avoid adversity! They are not open for another 30 minutes...
Hahaha! Mike, I hope it is a compliment when I say that you're a perfect fit for Mexico!
Actually, I think you're pretty accurate in your cultural analysis. But the direction I was going was more along the spiritual preparedness lines.
Jer. 17:7,8 - "Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, whose trust is in the LORD. He is like a tree planted by water, that sends out its roots by the stream, and does not fear WHEN heat comes..."
And the whole Armour of God thing from Ephesians 6 was already mentioned. As Christians WE KNOW that (spiritually speaking) it is -5 and freezing rain in the world around us. That's why Jeremiah says "when" the heat comes. Becuase we all know that we live in a spiritual desert (sorry for mixing metaphors here).
We need to be like that tree that sends its roots deep into the earth. That way, whether it's freezing rain or drought we are prepared.
Think about the young Christian who heads of to College. How many kids from solid Christian families aren't prepared for it or are completely naive, hit their first philosophy or religious studies class, promptly get "spiritual hypothermia", and die.
That's why, while Mike has a point, we can't always just say, "God has my back." I think God wants us to use the brains he's given us to make sure our negligence/ignorance hasn't led us into a place of adversity... and then we expect God to bail us out.
Just spent the last half hour or so pouring through your last number of posts and comments. Lots of brain snacks here... you lose me in the greek/hebrew translation stuff, but I'll be bookmarking here to come back and be part of the dialogue. Keep searching for the Truth in light of His word!
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