Along the way

Richard Blackaby June 23, 2025

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Leaders tend to be goal oriented. They are on a mission, and the sooner it is accomplished the better! That attitude often leads to success . . . but not always.

As a recovering task-oriented person myself, few things give me more pleasure than checking something off my to-do list or arriving at my destination.

But I have slowly been discovering that there are many lessons to learn and experiences to enjoy on the journey.

I love the Gospel of Mark, perhaps because it's so action oriented. Mark 4 records Jesus teaching a multitude on the shore of the Sea of Galilee. The crowd was so thick that Jesus had to get into a boat and push off from shore to avoid being crushed. He taught from that makeshift pulpit all day.

Eventually, the disciples probably assumed it was time to call it a night. Instead, Jesus told them to cast off for the eastern shore.

Unbeknownst to the disciples, they were sailing right into the path of a terrifying storm. The tempest was so fierce that the disciples were certain they would perish.

Suddenly, Jesus stood up, an extraordinary feat considering the boat would have been rocking violently in the waves. Then He rebuked the storm.

Immediately, everything was calm. The moment was so incredible that the disciples asked each other, "Who then is this? Even the wind and the sea obey him!" (Mark 4:41).

This story has always puzzled me. Jesus seemingly wanted to get to the eastern shore of the Sea of Galilee, and He didn't want to wait until morning to set sail.

The body of water is not great, perhaps 14 miles at its longest. Why would Jesus endanger His disciples' lives for such a journey?

When they eventually landed on the other shore, they ministered to one demon-possessed man and then got back in their boat and returned to the opposite side. Jesus sailed directly into a terrifying storm to set one person free.

Most of Jesus' Galilean ministry took place along the western half of the Sea of Galilee. The eastern shore was a Greek region called Decapolis.

Jesus spent little time there. He gained only one convert. It seems like a side-show from His primary work.

Yet on the way to Decapolis, the disciples experienced Jesus like they never had before. They were amazed and realized there was far more to Jesus than they had first realized.

They had learned much about him while sailing on calm seas, but some lessons are best learned in a storm. When they encountered a man suffering from an internal tempest that was driving him mad, they witnessed Jesus defeat a legion of demons with ease. That lone convert was commissioned as Jesus' first missionary (Mark 5:19). Neither of these experiences were a part of the disciples' primary mission, but they taught the disciples a lot about Jesus.

I have discovered that we can learn a great deal as we travel to our destination. If our objective is to get married, reach management, or become a senior pastor, we may focus with laser precision on our goal.

But if we do, we will likely miss invaluable lessons along the way.

I have also learned that I can't delay my joy until I achieve my life goals. My family can't wait that long to experience joy in their home! God intends for us to live an abundant life every day, not just once we arrive at Point B.

It's great to achieve our goals, and we should certainly celebrate when we do. But the journey itself can be rich, joyful, and rewarding. In fact, some of the most important lessons we'll ever learn will take place between Point A and Point B. Don't miss important life experiences in your rush to reach your destination!

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Richard Blackaby is the president of Blackaby Ministries International and lives in Georgia. He travels internationally speaking on spiritual leadership in the home, church, and marketplace as well as on spiritual awakening, experiencing God, and the Christian life. Richard regularly ministers to Christian CEOs and business leaders. He has written or co-authored 33 books . This article was first published on RichardBlackaby.com. Used with permission from Blackaby Ministries International. Learn More »

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