Why “Quest?”

An often used metaphor for life is that of the road or a journey. In fact, the problem with the phrase, “like is like a road” or “life is like a journey” is that the word “like” doesn’t belong. Life is a road. It is a journey. Life is a quest and we are its pilgrims.

We each have our own stories marked by the twists and turns of our particular journey. However, much of life is traveled along a hidden road whose pavement cannot be seen by human eyes.

I am speaking of the journey Jesus talks about in the Sermon on the Mount where He says, “The gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few” (Matt 7:14 ESV). Since the gate is “narrow” and the way is “hard” and “those who find it are few,” Quest Ministries summons pilgrims to pass through the narrow gate and then offers encouragement and equipping with the the resources necessary to navigate the hardships along the way that “leads to life.” In other words, think of Quest Ministries as an outfitter for life’s ultimate quest.

Consider the following as food for thought. . .

Destination: A predetermined end of a specific quest — the objective.

Quest: The progressive strategic activity necessary to achieve the destination.

Destination and quest are closely linked together. For example:

• Your quest is validated by the achievement of your destination.
• Your destination determines the nature of your quest. If you are careless with your days, frivolous with your development, or suffer from immaturity; then you don’t have a worthy destination. Those who have eternal life as their destination are joyfully motivated to pursue a rigorous quest.
• Quest without destination is religion.
• Quest impregnated with destination becomes purpose.
• Destination without quest is an illusion. It guarantees you will never arrive.
• The nature of your destination is demonstrated by the rigor of your quest.

The most important questions:

• What is your destination?
• Are you prepared for the quest?