When Is The Best Time To Go On A Pilgrimage?

Let me just go ahead and say it—there is never a best time to go on a pilgrimage. #SpoilerAlert. Drop mic. Walk away. Done. And. Done.

I guess I could just end this post with that, but let’s explore this further.

For me personally, I’m quite excellent at coming up with excuses with not going on more pilgrimages. I tend to get caught up in work that I need to do like school, my career, and making sure my house doesn’t explode. And then I have the added bonus struggle of not wanting to do something unless I feel adequately prepared for it. But even with these struggles, I still find a way to go on pilgrimages.

Is there ever a best time to go on a pilgrimage?

Yes, I would say there are times that are perfect for going on a pilgrimage. However, I will say that the perfect time is going to look different for each person.

In asking other people what some of the obstacles are for them going on more pilgrimages, the most popular answers seem to be “I don’t have enough time” and “I don’t have enough money.” Totally understandable, and that seems to explain why a lot of pilgrimage groups I see out and about in the world are retirees because they have the luxury of both time and money.

But for those of us who are not yet quite gray-haired with fatter wallets, we don’t need to wait for retirement in order to go on a pilgrimage.

I would say the best times to go on a pilgrimage are:

• When it’s really inconvenient to go
• When you’re young or even aging like fine wine
• When you have something to really pray about, either for yourself or for others
• When the travel bug bites you
• (insert your reason here)
• And so on

Ultimately, the point is that the best time to go on a pilgrimage is when the desires of the heart and soul as well as the anxiousness of the feet align with the motivation to go on one. Time, money, and logistics are merely obstacles that can be overcome, and that’s what this site is for.

When should I go on a pilgrimage?

A common theme in my recent entrepreneurial and ministerial pursuits is the idea of the “80% solution.” In other words, pilgrimage planning, logistics, and execution doesn’t have to be perfect in order for you to go. “Done is better than perfect”, says one of my teachers in unending refrain. So it is with pilgrimages. Just go on them, and don’t worry about them going perfectly.

Honestly, I have yet to have a pilgrimage that goes perfectly as planned. Or planned perfectly. From itinerary fails to literally winging my schedule on the fly, pilgrimages tend to be rather adventurous in more ways than one for me. And you know what? That’s okay. I might not have had a perfectly planned pilgrimage or a pilgrimage that goes perfectly as planned. What’s important is that God’s will for my pilgrimage goes perfectly according to His plan. And not mine.

With that said, when should you go on a pilgrimage?

Now.

Just go.

Do it.

Ok, but do so if it’s mostly prudent to go. I realize most of us have families and jobs to take care of, pets to feed, abodes to dwell in and maintain, Netflix shows and movies to binge on, fuzzy Japanese cat videos to post on Facebook, and glorious memes to retweet on Twitter. Do what you need to do, and prioritize going on a pilgrimage soon. And very soon.

Here’s a quick list of steps you can do to go on your next pilgrimage:

1. Choose a free weekend within the next three months
2. Set a cheap budget
3. Define where you’re going and what you want to visit
4. Decide what spiritual practices and devotions you’ll be doing
5. Roughly figure out your travel logistics like transportation and accommodation
6. Book anything that needs to be booked
7. Pray–especially pray for others and have others pray for you–leading up to your pilgrimage
8. Go on your pilgrimage
9. Share about it! (and tell me–I’d love to hear about it!)

Bottom Line

There’s never a perfect time to go on a pilgrimage, but despite any obstacles, pilgrimages can still be done. The best time to go is when you have the motivation to go on a pilgrimage for whatever reason even if there are struggles that get in the way. With a little bit of prudential planning and flexibility, you can go on your next pilgrimage as soon as this weekend.

Tell me about a place you can go visit that’s nearby—comment below! Bonus points if you actually went, and if you did, share about it!