There’s nothing quite like that moment when you reach the climax of a great adventure: your heart beats fast, your chest swells with joy, you feel you can accomplish anything…and then you sit back down at your dull dreary desk at school or the office. The thrill of adventure sweeps out of your soul on a brisk fall breeze and you’re left in the chill lethargy of the everyday.
Why do adventures stir us so? Could it be that we are meant for more than a day-to-day routine survival type of existence?
It can be—because it is! Like the heroes and heroines of great stories, we each have incredible talents we can unlock and missions we can accomplish. We’ll explore more of that in the next post, but in the meantime, the real question isn’t, “Are we meant for adventure?” but rather, “Do we really want an adventure?”
The call to adventure
I often think of Bilbo Baggins’ view of adventures: uncomfortable, inconvenient episodes that make one late for dinner. I confess, I’m much more hobbit-like in my life than the ideal. If there’s one thing I don’t like, it’s missing dinner—or specifically, dessert! Staying in the comfortable routine, even when it’s not exactly the life we dreamed of, is easier because at least we know what to expect.
On the other hand, with adventures, anything could happen. We have to journey beyond our comfort zones. We may encounter peril and trials. But perseverance through those difficulties produces character; it unlocks the potential of who we were meant to be.
And from there, the next step is hope. After an adventure always comes a reward, a treasure that could not have been gained if we hadn’t scaled the mountain or fought the dragon. The adventure is always worthwhile.
Happily ever after—or not?
Maybe this all sounds too optimistic. We’ve all had experiences where we took a risk and didn’t get the reward we wanted. Instead of becoming the winner, we became the wounded. We think to ourselves, “If that’s what an adventure gets me, I’d rather stay home. I’ll have my dinner on time, thank you very much.”
Remember: we haven’t reached the end of our adventure. Our trials are real, our foe is fearsome, but our story is not over. In this world, tragedy strikes all too often, and sometimes we let it stop us in our tracks. If we give up, that is a tragic end.
In a fantasy, the adventure always ends happily because the author writes it that way—and when we know the true Author of our story, we can have confidence in His ending. There’s no plot twist that will surprise Him; there’s no enemy that can derail His story.
For those of us who trust in Him, He’s promised to work all things together for our good—according to the calling He has placed on us. If we’re following His purpose, we don’t need to fear our adventure; we will certainly achieve the reward. And we can even have fun in the process!
Ask yourself: are you a hobbit or a hero? Are you going to stay where it’s safe, or will you answer the call to adventure?
Share your thoughts in the comments—and come back next time to find out if you’re the Chosen One!
Read More
10 Ways Reading Fantasy Improves Reality
Previous Post: Real Life Dragons
Next Post: Who is the Chosen One?
Please review the Posting Policy before commenting.