The Shepherd's Heart: Finding yourself

At first glance, the thought conveyed may seem senseless. But upon reflection, the words may well be a portrait of what our society has become. So many people just simply do not know who they are and are endlessly "searching" for themselves. And that search takes them down many paths.

A few years back it seemed that people were searching for themselves through eastern religions, transcendental meditation, and other forms of mysticism. Some search for themselves in libraries filled with genealogies and other family histories. Still others seek to find themselves by exploring nature through visits to the mountains or deserts or seashores.

Whatever path one might take, I believe it is important -- very important -- to find ourselves. The simply act of seeking to find oneself -- or to be found -- implies that we are lost. And in most cases, that's not a good place to be.

Yes, there are those who seek to get lost, people who seemingly want to separate themselves from others and to wander aimlessly for days before stumbling across a road, stream or railroad line that leads them back to civilization.

I recently read an article by a man who -- tongue in cheek -- was reflecting on how long it had been since he had actually been successful at getting lost. He said he mourned the passing of the "fine art" of getting lost and the freedom and exhilaration found in that place.

I have a hard time believing anyone would want to be lost forever, that anyone would want to be separated from loved ones and friends and familiar surroundings.

The Prophet from Nazareth told a story of a man who ran away from family, home and all things familiar only to find himself lost in a world that apparently hated him, a world that was friendly to him one day and horribly unkind to him the next, a world that would have chewed him up and spat him to the four winds.

He had been seeking to find out who he really was. He finally found himself when he hit rock bottom. The story teller says the man "came to himself." When that happened, he realized that he had left himself back home with his dad and family.

As he approached the place he had called home for so many years, his father came running down the path and hugged his neck and wrapped him in a familiar robe. He then gave the order to prepare a feast. By way of explanation he could only say -- "This son of mine was lost, but now he is found."

Lost is not a good place to be. Whether you have become lost on purpose or quite by accident -- my prayer is that you may be found.