There are times in life in which we must go on a journey to learn and explore. But more than just touring, this journey awakens us to more of who God has called us to be. It’s a pilgrimage to dive deeper into God’s reality for our lives. And while this naturally has spiritual significance, there’s a place for a sexual pilgrimage in its own right.
For instance, few of us had intentional teachers growing up to shape the course of our sexual maturity. And this left most of us trying to piece together some sense of what it means to be a sexual being from the hints, innuendos, and distortions around us.
And, at some point, we might realize we’re sexually lost – simply going through the motions of our sexual life without any real sense of meaning or purpose. And it’s here that we might then seek to embark on our own sexual pilgrimage – taking a personal journey in search of our sexual wholeness.
By their very nature, pilgrimages call us into the unknown and allow us to be transformed by what we experience. As a result, we’re not the same person – leaving the old behind and discovering a new birth.
Sexually, this often means putting to death many old assumptions about what we think it means to be a sexual being. And while this includes our own personal assumptions, it also includes those we’ve adopted from society and even our religious communities.
To be sure, this initially feels very foreign and even risky as we try to find our way back to the original glory God gave us as embodied sexual beings. But as we endure, this journey becomes one of celebration – thanking God and rejoicing in the fullness of our sexual selves.
In the end, sexual peace is possible. But this often requires a pilgrimage to journey and discover the original goodness and beauty God has given our sexuality.
Photo by Farid Askerov on Unsplash