Notes on Hope Devotional

Finding Strength

Psalm 84:5 (NIV)
Blessed are those whose strength is in you,
    whose hearts are set on pilgrimage.

We are all on a pilgrimage of some kind, a journey, a path, a route as we traverse through life. Some paths are ones we have chosen. However, some paths are not what we would choose. What about the path that brings a diagnosis, divorce, or a death?

Last April, I became a pilgrim and took a journey to Spain to walk the Camino de Santiago. For centuries, thousands of pilgrims have walked the Camino de Santiago to experience spiritual renewal, to “go inside while going outside” to deepen their inner life.

When I found this verse in Psalm 84, I underlined it before my flight to Spain. It offered me two things. First, I needed to know I was not doing this on my own. God’s strength was going to uphold and sustain me as I walked 9-11 miles a day. But it wasn’t just a physical endeavor it was a spiritual and emotional endeavor. For me, it was a recalibration of my life after my husband died suddenly in 2018. 

Secondly, I needed to set my heart on being completely open to listen while quieting my cluttered mind and soul. I needed to unplug and disconnect from my noisy life at home. My prayer before I began the Camino was from a devotional by Tim Keller;

“Lord, I need Your love and presence to soften my hard heart, strengthen my fainting heart, and humble my proud heart.”

As I walked in the beauty of creation, it became apparent how scattered by senses were as I began to slow down and focus on walking. After a few days, I found a sense of being present to listen. Over the 10 days I walked, I came to a place of settling my soul and sensing God’s strength, comfort, and nearness. The time on the Camino was not wasted. It was a reset and renewal of my body, mind, and spirit. 

Daily, we are on a pilgrimage as we stay faithful to what God has called us to do.    We can rely and trust God to give us the strength to sustain and carry us as we journey together. 

Dear Heavenly Father,
Thank you for the strength that You supply as we walk the path You have laid out for us.
Let us focus our attention and affection on You. Help us quiet our minds so we can listen to You above the noise. In Jesus Name, Amen.

(On April 1, my book, Walking the Way, A 21-Day Devotional for Pilgrims on the Camino de Santiago will be available on Amazon.)