Goal of Soul Pilgrimage

The goal of a soul pilgrimage is to grow in spiritual maturity and become totally at one with God. In order to arrive at that goal we have to walk the daily pilgrimage path. We walk step by step, hour by hour, day by day, taking care to learn our spiritual lessons as they are presented to us along the way. Judith Lawrence. Highway ofHoliness: Soul Journey P. 15

Soul pilgrimage is not something to be rushed. The time allowed for this journey is God’s time. It is a slow, steady process that allows for us to learn the lessons presented to us by God in small steps. We learn the lessons by degrees, discovering different nuances as we are presented with the same lessons many times over.

When we are young we learn simple lessons with simple messages. As we journey along our spiritual path we meet up with the same lessons many times over and discover more depth and wisdom in the teachings each time we are confronted with the repeated messages.

We need never get tired of receiving the same lessons or get frustrated by going through the same curriculum. Each time we learn the same lessons we come closer to our spiritual maturity discovering the teaching’s many different facets.

© Judith Lawrence  

Walking our Spiritual Journey

 

It is the soul that walks our spiritual journey; it is the soul that is holy from the time before we were born, it is the soul that remains our core of holiness throughout our life on earth; it is the soul that re-enters heaven in holiness, having matured and expanded through our spiritual pilgrimage. Judith Lawrence, Highway of Holiness: Soul Journey, Pg. xv

The soul is our very being, the being that is our core essence before, during, and after our life on earth. The soul, however, is not loud and obtrusive; and, at first, when we are born, we are hardly aware of its presence even though it is the entity of our being.

We are most aware of our physical body with which we identify ourselves while here on earth along with our mental acuity and ego. These are the parts of our being that we are most aware of and, it may be some time before we recognize our soul and give it its true place and value within.

When we do recognize the soul as our centre then we begin to hear and listen to its voice; we begin to follow the soul’s leading and grow in sanctity; we begin to become more fully who we are meant to be—holy as God is holy.

Crossing the Threshold of Christ

When we go across the threshold and out through the gate, which is Christ, we proceed along our path to holiness, growing in spiritual maturity until we reach the highest sanctity we can achieve on earth. Whether we are on a spiritual back road, foot path, or paved highway, if we are searching for a closer relationship with God, we are on the Highway of Holiness. Judith Lawrence, Highway of Holiness: Soul Journey, Pg. xiv

I have said before, in previous blogs and in my latest book, that we were born in holiness—when we are born we are already holy. That fact doesn’t preclude us from continuing to grow in holiness.

As we go along our daily journey towards spiritual maturity, we go across the threshold of the gate, which is Christ. We go out through the door of Christ each day, walk our spiritual journey as we go along our road of daily work and play, and at the end of the day, come back across the threshold of Christ’s door and, in Christ, examine how our day went.

We thank God for being with us, guiding and guarding us; we recall the things and events for which we are grateful; we remember our transgressions and ask for forgiveness from God; we ask for protection through the coming night and prepare to sleep in Christ’s loving arms and continue on the Highway of Holiness once more when we wake.

Jesus said, Yes, I am the gate. Those who come in through me will be saved. They will come and go freely and will find good pastures. John 10:9 (New Living Translation.)

Pilgrimage of the Soul

A spiritual pilgrimage is ongoing. It is the pilgrimage of the soul and we may not be aware that it is happening at first. From time to time we may get some holy intuition of this pilgrimage and, as we mature, we become more in tune with the soul’s journey. We begin the spiritual pilgrimage in holiness, we walk the highway of holiness, and the goal is holiness. Judith Lawrence,  Highway of Holiness: Soul Journey, Pg. xiv

The moment we are born we immediately and inevitably begin the journey of life. This journey includes our physical, intellectual, emotional and spiritual path.

In order to grow physically we need bodily nourishment; to grow intellectually we need to be given food for thought; to grow emotionally we need guidance from our parents, teachers, and caregivers in how to respond to circumstances we meet in life.

To grow spiritually there is no set way for each one of us to follow other than the daily necessity to draw ourselves apart for a time of  prayer, reading of the scriptures and books of spiritual content. Spiritual growth follows a unique path for each of us. Each of us is given an inner guide, our soul, who quietly calls us to follow our special path to the Sacred One.

Perhaps those who are born into a religious household become aware of our spiritual pilgrimage earlier in life than those who are not given any religious upbringing, but each of us will be led along our own unique spiritual journey or path by our soul. Before each of us was born on earth, our soul was already in existence. The soul takes on a physical body for the duration of our time here on earth dispensing with it at the end of our physical existence. Our soul remains at the core of our being and is our internal guide, leading us toward spiritual maturity during our time on earth, and showing us our own special relationship with the Sacred One.

The Journey of the Soul

The journey of the soul begins with the daily attendance at private prayer. This is where the soul fills its pouch for the day’s travel and tops itself up for life’s pilgrimage. This is where the soul receives its spiritual food and drink for its daily strength and nourishment.

As in any physical pilgrimage one couldn’t get very far without rest, water, and food, so it is in the spiritual pilgrimage—one needs time to rest in God, and nourishment in the form of Bible reading and prayer.

It is best to make a regular time and place, if that is possible, for your prayer time with God. After a while, this routine time and place becomes a special part of your tryst with God, a time and place that you don’t want to miss, a time and place to which you look forward, and a time and place that builds a relationship between you and the Sacred One.