How Christian Travel Can Grow Our Faith

Travel has been known to deepen relationships and strengthen family ties. It can also relieve stress, boost creativity and amplify our happiness. While each of these is important and valuable, there is an area of growth that often gets overlooked: our faith. We don’t just believe that Christian travel impacts our faith, we’ve lived it and seen it happen again and again in the lives of our travelers!

This is why we do what we do, curating exceptional travel experiences that connect travelers to their Creator. Here are five important ways Christian travel can deepen and grow your faith.

Natural Revelation

Travel helps us experience some of the world’s best and most beautiful places, and after taking our breath away, this exposure to nature’s grandeur always leads us to gratitude and prayer. This is by God’s design.

In Romans, the Apostle Paul wrote that God uses the natural world to proclaim His glory and draw humanity toward Him. “For ever since the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky. Through everything God made, they can clearly see his invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature. So they have no excuse for not knowing God” (Romans 1:20, NLT).

We’ve seen Him in the colors of a Caribbean sunset, the snow capped mountains of Alaska, the stark deserts of Israel and the sapphire blue waters of the Mediterranean. The unique wonders of the world give us only a taste of His goodness—but, oh, what goodness it is!

Christian Community

Few things are as encouraging to the heart of a believer than spending time with the global church. All of us are influenced by our culture—and so are our churches. Meeting Christians in the Caribbean, Europe or the Middle East can inform us of new perspectives and insights, as well as deepen our understanding of Scripture. This awareness of the faith stretches us in all the best ways.

The body of Christ is diverse, and we love how travel helps us remember this. Our experience meeting followers of Christ from all over the world offers a small taste of what it will be like when the global church is united in Heaven as we celebrate and worship Jesus.

Expanding Comfort Zones

Leaving home is a big step away from our every day routine and comfort zone! After all, you’re not sleeping in the same bed and following the same routines. That’s why the new experiences and new environments of travel are so personally beneficial. By stepping out of our comfort zone, we learn new life lessons that can grow us as people—and as followers of Christ.

Whether it is trying new food in Israel or ziplining in Puerto Rico, travel can boost your confidence and courage. It can also build compassion and patience. Best of all, leaving your comfort zone makes you appreciate your home and routines all the more when you return. Sometimes it takes travel to realize there’s no place like home.

Foster New Friendships

When you travel with Inspiration, whether it’s a concert cruise to Alaska or a trip to Israel led by one of your favorite Bible teachers, you’ll be surrounded by like-minded fellow believers. Beyond the music or message, you’ll spend time laughing, praying and engaging in conversations with people who love the Lord just as much as you do.

1 John 1:3 suggests that fellowship among Christians reflects the unity of God the Father and his Son, Jesus Christ. That makes it incredibly valuable and always worth pursuing. Our experience continues to show us how Christian fellowship helps reinforce our faith. Travel itself—among family members, close friends and even new friends—always builds powerful bonds.

Rest and Reconnect

Sometimes it takes getting away from your daily routine to truly find rest. That disconnection from the day-to-day frees up space to reconnect with God. Maybe that begins with watching a Mediterranean sunset with a cup of coffee on your cruise balcony, or discovering the awe-inspiring art and architecture of Europe. Imagine immersing yourself in ancient cultures and the New Testament writings of Paul—many of which were written during his confinement in Rome. It also could be tied even more explicitly to your faith, like pausing to pray under an olive tree in Israel’s Garden of Gethsemane or the Garden Tomb.

Regardless of the setting, travel gives you countless opportunities to set aside distractions so you can laugh, pray, journal, or simply note your gratitude for the world around you. In a world that’s always clamoring for our attention and top performance, retreating from the noise creates space to reflect, have fun with those we love and opens us up to hearing the still, small voice of the Spirit.

Final Tips

If any of these benefits reflect your personal travel goals, make sure you plan ahead so you can make the most out of your experiences. Bring your Bible, of course, and a way to journal or remember impactful moments. Don’t be afraid of stillness and quiet—these can be the moments when you’re most receptive to hearing from God. And always invite your friends and family back home to pray for you while you’re away.

Travel is almost always personally enriching. It’s good for you! But travel doesn’t just refresh the mind and body. It can also restore your soul. When you approach Christian travel with the right mindset and focus, it can be as spiritually enriching as any other activity.

Are you ready to grow your faith by getting away?