The Source of Life: Finding Joy in the Journey

The Source of Life: Finding Joy in the Journey

Where does your source of life come from?

I’m not talking about what sustains your body, but what sustains your soul. So much of my writing and conversation comes from a deep desire to be in relationship with God and with others. As a pastor, counselor, and certified mental health coach, I often see how vital it is to know what truly nourishes our spiritual and mental well-being.

The Bible gives us this wisdom:
“The hearing ear and the seeing eye, the Lord has made both of them.” — Proverbs 20:12
“He who planted the ear, does He not hear? He who formed the eye, does He not see?” — Psalm 94:9

These verses remind me that God is both the giver and sustainer of our ability to see and hear—not just physically, but spiritually.

I often say, “I don’t love you for what you do, but for who you are.” That truth challenges me personally in two ways.

First, my whole approach to life is centered around my relationship with God. Because of that, my view of the world can be complicated at times. I want to respond to every situation with a “God response”—through the lens of His grace and truth. I don’t always get it right, but I’m always learning to reflect Jesus more fully.

Second, I’ll admit—my age makes some of today’s modes of connection a challenge. (Yes, you can smile at that!) As a baby boomer, I’ll always prefer face-to-face conversation. While technology can connect us in seconds, it can never replace the sacredness of being present with one another.

Now, back to that proverb. I believe the writer wasn’t simply speaking of physical eyes and ears, but of our moral and spiritual center—the part of us that perceives and understands truth. The Apostle Paul told Timothy:
“For bodily discipline is only of little profit, but godliness is profitable for all things, since it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come.” — 1 Timothy 4:8–9

Our “eyes” symbolize our source of life—the reason we were created. In Scripture, the eye is often seen as a fountain or spring, a channel through which we receive life and understanding from our Creator. To truly see, we must know the One who formed our vision.

Our “ears,” likewise, represent our ability to listen, learn, and discern how to respond to the world around us. Through our relationship with God, we begin to build healthy response systems in our mind, will, and emotions—reflecting the nature of the One who made us.

This is a lifelong journey of discovery, but it’s one best lived together. The joy of the journey comes through relationships—through time spent in one another’s presence.

We can’t truly get to know one another through social media, emails, or texts. And we can’t truly get to know God that way, either. Relationship takes presence.

That’s where the idea of margins comes in. We can’t simply add God or relationships to an already full life and expect them to flourish. If we treat connection as just another thing on the to-do list, we’ll miss the very thing our hearts long for most.

Change can be hard—but being still, being quiet, and simply being is how we rediscover who we are in Christ.

So, I encourage you:
Set margins in your life. Create space for God. Make time for others. Let your heart breathe again.

When we draw from our true source of life—Jesus Christ—we’ll find that the journey becomes one of joy, peace, and deep connection.

“We pray that you find your true source of life, and may your journey be filled with joy in all your relationships.”

Blessings in Christ,
Pastor Dan