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Have you ever looked up into the night sky and wondered where you fit in this very large universe? At one time or another, most of us have. One moment we feel like we finally know who we are and where we’re going, and the next moment we feel lost again, searching for meaning and purpose. Today’s message explores this further. I invite you to read more.
Those who know me know this already; I have a soft spot for John Denver. I suppose it’s fair to say I’m a bit of a John Denver groupie. My wife and I have even walked through the John Denver Sanctuary in Aspen, standing among the stones etched with his lyrics. His music has followed me for decades, and his words often give language to things I’m already carrying in my heart. Today’s reflection was stirred by one of his songs, Looking for Space, not because this is a letter about the song, but because of what it awakens in me.
At its core, it reminds me that all of us are trying to find our own way. Every life is a road of experience, filled with movement and pauses. There are seasons when it feels like things are finally clicking, when it seems we’re making progress and heading in the right direction. And then, suddenly, life feels like it has come to a standstill. Loss, disappointment, grief, or uncertainty arrives without warning, and the forward motion we felt so confident about slows or stops altogether. Those moments can be unsettling, and it’s easy to fear they might last forever.
There are times when I stand on my back deck here in the mountains of South Carolina, looking up at the night sky and staring into the vastness of space, wondering where I fit in this expansive universe. In the quiet, it can feel as though I am alone, just another small life beneath an endless canopy of stars. Yet moments later, the same sky that makes me feel small also reminds me that I am intentionally placed. I am reminded that God chose me before the beginning of time. As Christians, we know that such vastness speaks of a God whose design is greater than our understanding, whose purposes continue unfolding even when we feel almost there one day and deep in despair the next.
King David seemed to understand this feeling when he wrote, “When I see your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and stars that you set in place, what is man that you are mindful of him?” (Psalm 8:3–4). Even thousands of years ago, beneath the same night sky, the human heart was still searching for meaning, purpose, and reassurance that we are not forgotten.
Life seems to move in waves. There are days when everything feels aligned, when purpose feels clear and joy comes easily. Those are the moments when we feel like we are soaring like eagles, lifted by a sense that we are living as we were meant to live. And then there are other days, sometimes without any obvious reason, when we can be deep in despair. Loneliness creeps in. The noise of the world grows louder. It can feel, at least for a moment, as though we are all alone in a very large universe.
What I’ve learned is that clarity often returns when attention shifts back to the center. When the distractions quiet down and the heart turns inward toward God, things begin to make sense again. Not because every question is answered, but because presence replaces panic. Light breaks through. Hope reappears. We find ourselves back in the sunshine, not because life has suddenly become easy, but because our perspective has been gently realigned.
There are moments in life when will and purpose come together, when what we want and what God wants seem to move in the same direction. Those are the moments when life feels right. When we rise above fear and doubt and simply live the call placed on our hearts, that is when we fly. Not because we have everything figured out, but because we are trusting in the One who does.
This song touched my heart and prompted me to write today’s message.
The road of experience is never smooth or predictable. It includes starts and stops, joy and sorrow, confidence and confusion. Faith does not remove that rhythm, but it helps us accept it. We are not always meant to understand God’s ways, only to trust them. When we do, even the pauses and the pain take on meaning.
Perhaps the deepest peace comes when we stop trying to force answers and simply live the gift of each day. We must always remember that we were chosen before we were born—so that, through God’s grace received with our daily “yes” and cooperation, we might one day bear fruit in the kingdom of God. We have purpose. And when we live with that purpose, even imperfectly, life begins to make sense. Sometimes we’re almost there. Sometimes we soar. Sometimes we’re deep in despair. And through it all, we are held.
Heavenly Father, thank You for walking with me on the road of experience, through the moments of soaring joy and the seasons of deep struggle. When life feels unclear or heavy, draw me back to the center where You dwell. Align my will with Yours, so that I may live the purpose You have given me with trust and courage. Help me accept the highs and lows of this journey, knowing that every step is held by Your love. Amen.
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AMDG
AMDG is a Latin abbreviation for “Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam,” which means “For the Greater Glory of God.”
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Please take a moment to share your thoughts about today’s message below.
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