Lightning Flash vs. Bread Crumbs

“And then I heard the voice of the Lord clearly say, [Exact thing I needed to hear without room for misinterpretation].”

More than likely we know someone who has had a “lightning flash” moment with our Lord and must share that experience with everyone they know, because of their generosity and well, lightning! I mean it’s hard to deny the wonder that surround these experiences and to not be somewhat jealous of such a clear sign of Divine Love and Mercy.

I say jealous because I personally, have never had this kind of experience or revelation on this magnitude, a clear flashing sign of God’s presence around us. As I was taking a hike with Stephanie, we were discussing this very topic which lead to a realization. Without sounding overly pious, I have worked hard at being able to notice the small workings of our Lord all around us. The slightest insight into His designs and providence in everything created. Sort of like the Force from Star Wars (I’ve opened a floodgate; I apologize). As Obi wan told a young Luke, the Force surrounds us and flows through us and connects us all. But, this is a generalization I hope to elaborate on in the future. As created in His image, we all have a yearning to know God and I am a firm believer in the idea that He has left “breadcrumbs” to see the love he has for us in the workings of day to day life.

Now, I know several people who have years of wisdom who have had all kinds of experiences and are strengthened by them. I’m also not trying to say one kind of experience is better or more valid, because how would I know what is in people’s heart? Why would I want to know? I’ll leave that up to the Big Guy. The point I’m trying to get at in regards to these two particular types of experiences, there tends to be a duality, or a grass is greener on the other side-ness.

Continuing the conversation during our hike, I made the observation that each side tends to have particular perks and, since we’re human, its drawbacks. I think the drawback of finding only breadcrumbs is a lack of impact. I mean, feeling that God has directly spoken to you should definitely be impacting! But it instills a sense of spiritual poverty. Constantly having to scavenge and gather little morsels of spiritual sustenance wherever we can find them!

I find them in the philosophical arguments and concepts for God or the objective undeniable history evidence (in and outside the Bible) for Jesus Christ and his claim of being God. These leave you predisposed to see the little signs of His designs and maybe a glimpse into His greater plan. However, it kind of leaves you wanting. The idea of having an experience that just knocks you on your butt can’t help but become a lucrative thing that one can constantly be chasing and seeking. The breadcrumbs help us to extrapolate beyond ourselves in a genuine loving way. It directs the view outward yet leaves one hungry for the inner view.

The lightning flash is the other side of the coin. It is a generous gift from God to experience Him so clearly and powerfully! It often leaves those with a spiritual high of sorts that really lights a fire in them and they want to go out a do amazing things! I find this to be the emotional experience, the ones you can really feel. That is until the fire begins to flicker. For some unfortunate reason, there tends to be a trend where those who have just experienced big aha moments, tend to spike in spirituality and then quickly fall back into some form of complacency. The fire they once proclaimed flickers into a form of apathy. It leaves the view directed inward. You feel this feast of an experience, a closer communion with God, and you quickly become hungry for your next experience.

Although one can be spiritually fed way beyond those who survive on bread crumbs, their hunger runs deeper. Although you may have your spiritual hunger fought off by tiny morsels, you don’t typically experience the satisfaction of a full spiritual meal! So with the duality of these kind of experiences, which is better? Is one a better approach to spirituality? The answer is both. We need to always be striving to get closer to our God. To better hear His word and respond fully to His working in our lives. But, we must also be weary of relying on our emotions as our compass, because sometimes it can become a compass with no needle. We must also cultivate a strong foundation of God through all the means He leaves us. Means such as philosophy, logic, history, and reason. We can fast on the bread crumb trail to God and rejoice in the glimpses He blesses us with along the way.