Kiruna – What Are You Chasing?

I flew from Stockholm to the small city in northern Sweden, Kiruna. The main purpose of this trip above the Arctic circle was to see reindeer.

My sister loves reindeer.

I booked a stay where reindeer are free to roam among the cabins, but sadly we found out that the area didn’t have any reindeer because they have all migrated into the mountains for a couple of months.

We spent the day driving around and only saw a few reindeer lying in the snow in the distance. At least we assumed they were reindeer.

After checking into our cabin we were told of a road where reindeer were seldom seen. That’s all we needed to know. So we started on the chase.

After driving down the road, looking side to side, our hopes were realized. A group of 4 deer feeding on the moss. We stopped and watched these beautiful creatures stop eating for a few seconds to acknowledge us. Then they went back to nibbling on their greens.

Many photos were taken and we continued our journey down the road to see more.

But we never saw any more, so we returned to the same spot and found the four reindeer roaming in the snow.

We journeyed into the city center of Kiruna to start our northern lights tour. And a new chase began. We journeyed to Abisko about an hour west of Kiruna which is supposedly one of the best places in the world to see these glorious lights.

But no northern lights were seen.

Sometimes you reach what you are chasing and other times it eludes you.

So, what are you chasing?

There are good chases and there are bad chases. Chases that bring joy and happiness and others that quickly brings destruction and sorrow.

Runners chase after the proverbial runners high. Whereas drug addicts scheme for their next fix. Both chase after something, but not all chases are worthy to be chased.

I’ve been told that we need to pursue God. To chase after Him. Search for Him. Run toward Him.

Sometimes that chase may feel like looking for the northern lights in broad daylight. Longing for a glimpse of His wonder, but missing it. It may feel disheartening to seek after Him and not see what you are hoping to see.

But what if what you are hoping to see isn’t really Him? What if you’ve created an image of what you think God is, and when you don’t “see” it, you assume that He’s not near you.

But what if He’s still there, in the faint whisper, the low hum, the light touch, the silent night.

I truly believe that if we chase after Him, we shall find Him.

And what I love more is that as we think we are pursuing Him, He is actually the one pursuing us. Calling us home. Leading us to Him. Chasing us with a fervor that nothing can match.

And sometimes we just have to stop our running and feel the chase of being caught.

In this upsidedown faith, of last is first, weak is strong, poor is rich…the chaser is caught.

May you always chase after the good things in life…and may you be caught in His love.

Peace