This was something I wrote a while back after reading a book titled Nature by Ralph Waldo Emerson. What I got out of the book and how it impacted me is written below.
Nature contains a sort of impeccable beauty, accompanied by a grandeur of mystery. The trees, grass, the vegetation all seem so simple; yet when observed with the eyes of the soul, rather than the eye of human folly, the complexity and variation of color and specie will be revealed. Such as a blind man able to see, will ones soul finally catch the raw audacity of nature, instead of the censored and tamed version that appears to most.
Nature, an almost perfect correlation to the essence of the human soul, can teach a person much more than expected, for there is more than meets the eye. Take a forest for example; one cannot stand on the fringe of the forest and expect to there find what mysteries and beauty lie at the heart of the wood. No! A journey must be made; a trail must be blazed, and an unknown path must be boldly ventured. This is not a adventure for the faint of heart. It is only for those who do not fear the unknown. For the man who will go where others won’t, and is willing to discover truths that may be better left in the dark. May be that is; only you can know. Every forest may look the same from the outside, but it’s only when one ventures in that uniqueness and true beauty are discovered.
How easy it is to linger at the fringe of the soul and never go deeper, but where is the luster in that life? It is said that ignorance is bliss, and maybe so, but can one really live off bliss? Satisfaction does not mean a life of bliss, but rather facing adversity, trials, pains, and brokenness, and emerging a more defined, improved version on oneself, with a definite identity. What’s the point in guessing who you are when you can find out for yourself?
I believe there is an aspect of spirituality which many have pushed by the wayside, or completely ignored, and that is the idea of going deeper within ourselves. In essence, discovering who we truly are. The need to know our Father is a truth that is constantly reiterated, but to accompany the journey of seeking Him we must go that extra mile and travel to the very depths of our own soul. It is here our identity is found, and when our true personality meets it’s Creator there is a rebirth of life, of purpose; it’s as if we are given a new pair of eyes after living with blurry vision for years. Our hinderance in discovering the essence of our souls is our flesh, due to the walls and barriers it builds out of the lies and pains of life. To return to the nature analogy, any wood or trail that is left untouched for several season becomes full of weeds, briars, and brush that makes the journey much more difficult. Many people, hindered by the fear of what they may find, have never ventured to discover the identity that their Father has given them. The consequence of never discovering your true identity is it becomes much easier to believe and accept the lies that are subtly spoken over you by others or the enemy himself. Lingering and looking in from the outside only gives us a general idea of who we are, but we serve a definite God; one who designs with a purpose that he instills within all of us.
Our Father wants to walk with us down this path to rediscover who we are and see the beauty of His design. There is beauty in all of nature, it’s just a matter of perception. When we learn to see as God sees, and walk as He walks, we will realize exactly the journey that must be made to grasp the Father’s heart and recapture our very souls.
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