5 Ways to Let Travel Deepen Your Walk with Christ

In the stress of everyday life, it can be challenging to find quiet times to reflect and listen for God’s voice speaking to you. Your mind is often cluttered with to-do lists and distractions. Taking a break from your responsibilities can allow you to enjoy mental and emotional margins. 

Travel uniquely offers the chance to create space for solitary reflection and prayer, which can help you hear from God. When you’re away from everyday routines, your mind can be freer and more receptive to God’s messages than usual. 

Jesus often withdrew to lonely places to pray (Luke 5:16). Travel can give you your own “lonely places,” such as a hotel room, a long car ride, or a quiet place in a park. You can use these places to be still, pray without rushing, read the Bible without interruption, and listen to God’s Holy Spirit. 

When you give God your undivided attention, you may be surprised by what He reveals. God may send you fresh encouragement, guidance, or inspiration to help you with every part of your life. 

Travel can also give you a different setting for your devotional times, making them feel fresh. So, while traveling, schedule time by yourself to reflect and pray, just as you plan other activities. 

Bring a journal to write down the spiritual insights God gives you. Limit digital distractions during these quiet times and focus your attention on God. 

Use your quiet time to ask reflective questions, like: “What is God teaching me on this trip?”, “How does this place I’m visiting reveal something new about God to me?” and “What changes does God want me to make in my life after this trip?” You can return home after traveling not only with souvenirs, but also with a stronger connection to God’s Holy Spirit.

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Travel gives you exciting opportunities to go on spiritual pilgrimages that strengthen your faith. Visiting significant biblical sites or other places where important events in church history happened can bring the stories of faith to life for you. 

Imagine walking the ancient streets of Jerusalem, reflecting on Jesus’s ministry, sacrifice, and resurrection in the locations where it happened. Exploring the countries where people from the early church lived and taught can help you appreciate our Christian heritage. 

You can also visit “thin places,” where the boundaries between heaven and earth feel thin, like an awe-inspiring natural setting or a quiet historic church or cathedral. Many people have prayed in those places, and by visiting to say your prayers there, you can feel strongly connected to God and your family of believers throughout history. 

You can also develop a better understanding of living out your faith by learning the stories of believers who have gone before you and how God worked in their lives. Discovering more about the history of your faith through travel can also give you fresh insights into the Bible that you can apply to your life after your trip. It can show you how you’re an essential part of an inspiring story God is writing throughout history. 

So, visit places with special spiritual significance, enjoy a relaxed time there, and open your heart to God. Pray and meditate while you’re there, and read Bible passages that relate to each location in some way (either something related to the place itself if it’s mentioned in the Bible or something related to what God is showing you there). Allow the physical environment of these places to speak to you spiritually and inspire you to move closer to God as a result.

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One of the most immediate ways to travel deepens your walk with Christ is by immersing yourself in the wonder of his creation. 

Romans 1:20 points out that everything in nature can teach you something valuable about God: “For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities – his eternal power and divine nature – have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse.” 

When you step into a new landscape like tall mountains, a vast ocean, or a desert sky filled with stars, you’re stepping into a part of creation that can show you something new about what the Creator is like. 

There is an unlimited amount of God’s wonder for you to experience on trips to places in nature, since Psalm 65:8 describes wonder everywhere in nature when it says to God: “The whole earth is filled with awe at your wonders…”. 

Genesis 1 reports that after each act of creation, “God saw that it was good.” 

Travel allows you to experience that goodness personally. So, be sure to include time in nature on your trips. Don’t just rush between tourist spots. Instead, schedule time to hike through a forest, walk on a beach, watch a sunset, or stargaze. 

Use your God-given senses of seeing, hearing, smelling, touching, and even tasting to experience the natural settings you visit fully. Learn about the local ecosystem to appreciate God’s complex design there. Ask yourself what creation in that place reveals about God’s character, such as God’s power, creativity, or faithfulness. 

Nature settings can become natural cathedrals for you. Let the natural beauty around you inspire you to look for God’s wonder around you and celebrate it by worshiping God right there.

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Travel can bring you into contact with people from cultures different from your own, deepening your walk with Christ by showing you how big and diverse God’s family is worldwide. Trips to explore international cultures expand your understanding of God’s global family and his love for all humanity. 

Revelation 7:9 describes “every nation, tribe, people, and language” in God’s plan. Travel shows you glimpses of the beautiful diversity in God’s kingdom. Stepping into different cultures can challenge your preconceived notions and broaden your perspective. You can encounter many variations of faith communities and worship styles. Interacting with people from various backgrounds helps you see the image of God in all sorts of people. Travel breaks down cultural bubbles, as well. 

You can enjoy lifelong learning by listening to people’s life stories, discovering cultural traditions, and sharing meals with the people you meet. You can gain a new respect for our shared humanity and the unique ways God has made each person and inspired each culture to develop. So, travel internationally when you can. 

When you experience new cultures, seek to understand them rather than judging them. Ask respectful questions and listen to learn. If possible, visit a local church to worship with the people there. As you meet different people, remind yourself of God’s deep love for each person, and pray for them. Open your heart and let God break down your prejudices, build your understanding of the world, and show you a bigger vision of God’s worldwide work on your trips.

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Even when you’re not on a designated mission trip, you can still find opportunities to serve others when you travel by sharing God’s love with the people you meet. 

Jesus says in John 13:35: “By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” 

Each interaction with new people on a trip is a chance to put God’s love into action. Sometimes, you can serve people, like giving a smile and kind words to a stressed airline employee, patiently waiting if your train is delayed, or helping a senior citizen with luggage. 

At other times, God will bring a more significant service opportunity your way. You might encounter someone in a crisis and feel prompted by the Holy Spirit to offer to help that person. Do your best to live with the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23) in every situation on your trips. Respect local customs, make ethical tourism choices, treat service staff with dignity, listen to other people’s stories, and be willing to help with practical needs whenever God leads you. 

Pray for a servant’s heart each day. Ask God to help you see people through his eyes. Give people grace and mercy in frustrating situations and avoid demanding behavior. Look for ways to bless the community you’re visiting, rather than just consuming experiences there. When you approach travel with a service mindset, God’s love will flow through you to others, and you will be blessed.

Travel offers many opportunities to draw nearer to God and enrich your spiritual journey. The key to taking advantage of those opportunities well is seeking God and being willing to grow as you learn more about God and his world. So, travel with a clear mind and an open heart, and look forward to the wonderful ways you’ll encounter God on your trips!

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