Joy in the Journey

This Monday we went on our last Old Testament field trip to the City of David. The small hill of the ancient city lies just below the grand Temple Mount on Mt. Moriah. The highlight of this field trip was Hezekiah's Tunnel. An engineering marvel, the great tunnel spans over 1/3 of a mile through solid rock with the purpose of providing water for the inhabitants of Jerusalem during the Assyrian siege thousands of years ago. Armed with headlamps and water-resistant shoes, my class excitedly descended into the heart of the hill. At first the water was freezing cold as it lapped against our ankles and then against our mid thighs. Nothing could be heard but the bubbling rush of water and our giddy voices in the headlamp-speckled darkness. As we walked through these deep tunnels, I thought about the common and comforting saying “there is always a light at the end of the tunnel”. Typically, the darkness terrifies us; the unknown blackness and the icy temperature of the water would frighten many into desperately hoping for a glimpse of the redeeming light that would signal the end of a treacherous journey.

Interestingly enough, I found myself experiencing very different emotions. Despite the cold, confining spaces, and unknown path, I found myself loving every moment of my time a hundred feet beneath the surface of the ground.

When I finally emerged from the tunnel laughing with exhilaration and soaked to my waist, I realized the profound lesson that Hezekiah had taught me with his 3,000 year- old tunnel.

I have experienced times in my life where I felt like I was in the middle of a dark and freezing passage, unable to see comforting light ahead. All of us will encounter moments of such doubt and uncertainty. However, there is something beautiful and striking in the idea of finding joy in the journey. The phrase “if you miss the joy, you miss it all” comes from my grandmother Ellie Jones, one of my ultimate heroes. Intelligent, strong, beautiful, and deeply loyal to God, my grandmother understood the sharp pains of heartbreak and suffering. However, she made the continual decision to find joy, to find beauty in the rushing of the water no matter how freezing, to be excited by every shadowed bend instead of fearful.

The depths of Hezekiah’s Tunnel are like the depths of the human heart. Sometimes we are asked to descend to dark places, to be uncomfortable and uncertain about the future. My challenge to you is to NOT be afraid. Find joy, because there is always joy to be found no matter how scarce it seems to be. Understand that by searching every shaft and canyon of your heart, you will come to know your spirit in new and enlightening ways.

Search for the light, but find joy even in the darkest of places. Go spelunking within your own soul.

Grab a flashlight, there are adventures to be had!