Recently, my husband and I visited the Grand Canyon for the first time. Upon arriving, I walked to the canyon’s edge and saw….lots and lots of brown rock.
During the 2.5-hour drive to the canyon, I had prepared myself to be overwhelmed by God’s majestic creation and feel His divine presence. With expectations of a spiritual experience, I had exited the motor coach, clutching my phone, ready to capture my first breathtaking views.
Objectively, I could appreciate that this topography was unique and pretty in its own way, but what was missing from my Grand Canyon experience was God. I had expected to feel His presence in the beauty of His creation. But, I didn’t.
Maybe it was too many people? Or too much heat? Maybe canyons and brown rocks don’t speak creator of the universe, to me? It wasn’t that the canyons themselves were disappointing, but, my reaction was. I wondered what was wrong with me?
After my initial disappointment faded, I realized my reaction was ok, it just reflected that people find God in different places, and in different ways.
For me, I always feel God’s presence at the ocean, every single visit. The vastness and the power are overwhelming. A sense of peace and calm wash over me, and I’m reminded of the Biblical references to the Living Water.
Every person’s walk with God will be different. He meets us where we are and speaks to each of us in unique and personal ways. For some it might be in nature, while for others it might be in song, art, or stories. You never know what will be the conduit through which God speaks.
As a new writer, I am guilty of comparing myself to authors I’ve looked up to for decades. People with followings in the six to seven digit range. In doing so, I end up discouraged and disheartened, wondering if I should continue writing. But, my experience at the Grand Canyon taught me that I shouldn’t engage in this habit.
My writing may be the equivalent of a small neighborhood creek compared to someone else’s ocean, but that doesn’t make my message any less important. Many people find solace and comfort standing alongside a babbling brook. And with time, maybe my stream will become something larger. As long as God continues to give me a message, I will continue to obey and put the words on paper for others to read.
Whenever we are tempted to compare our brook to someone else’s ocean, just remember that God sees and loves them both.