There are 7 significant events in the spiritual journey. Sufferings is the third event, and this is where we begin to be aware of the old self-serving nature and recognize our heart must turn towards the Christ center. Sufferings is where all earthly attachments are broken from us, and preferences, such as likes and dislikes, are dislodged and laid aside. Earthly attachments must be identified and removed because they are hindrances to the move of the Spirit. A sense of…
Anyone else have a season rife with constant ups and downs, highs and lows, ease and challenges? Not knowing what to make of these swings, a word was given to me, “patient continuance”. In other words—keep walking regardless of circumstances. Don’t fight, don’t fret, don’t be anxious, don’t worry, don’t get frustrated, and certainly don’t get angry. The flesh doesn’t like this season, but if we are to overcome the flesh and its reactions, we must have ‘patient continuance’. Sometimes…
Anger is displayed when you are not satisfied with where you are, what you are doing, and you can’t do anything about it. It’s wanting and not having. These desires may or may not be godly, and there is no earthly means that will alleviate the dilemma. There are lots of reasons for anger, but only one cause—dissatisfaction. It’s a long road home, not counting the work necessary to bring about the compatibility needed for the unfamiliar and divine environment…
In a dream, I didn’t have anywhere to go and couldn’t see where I was going to live. It was distressing and I was very upset. Things had been changing in my life, but now there seemed to be a deafening silence and a confusion I didn’t understand. On a walk, I bumped into the couple who had purchased my previous house. After exchanging pleasantries, they asked how I was doing and where I was living, so I told them…
Feeling lost, alone and helpless, and subsequent crying and upset, can be part of the Spiritual Journey. Many feelings will surface but they are not the guide: The eternal Spirit is. Crossing over is difficult, dry, alone and confusing, but you are being prepared to leave what is and enter what will be. While there is movement forward, no place is going to be fitting for a long time. Home isn’t where you want to be, work isn’t where you…
The sensing of an unfulfilled need is common during the Spiritual Journey. “If I find in myself desires which nothing in this world can satisfy, the only logical explanation is that I was made for another world.” – C.S. Lewis
It is important to understand that methods learned that alleviate pain, suffering and misery have been stored in the memory. The same holds true for the afflictions of pleasures and gratifications. When circumstances in the Spiritual Journey are created to bring attention to those afflictions, the solution of how it was dealt with in the past comes to the forefront to be exercised again and again to relieve stress or relive fervor, but it’s only a temporary measure. When that…
There are times during the Spiritual Journey where there seems to be a sense of being lost. The dictionary defines lost as: “no direction, no purpose; bewildered as to place, direction, etc.; not used to good purpose, as opportunities, time, or labor; wasted.” This sense of being lost can be the flesh feeling itself being emptied of all things familiar, habitual and of doing what it wants. Simultaneously, it can also be the spirit longing to be useful and purposeful…
During the Spiritual Journey, always pay attention to the little things, particularly when they are repetitious. Repeated occurrences of something is one of the ways that God gets our attention. Several years ago, I had what I called ‘the dropsies’. The urbandictionary.com defines this phenomenon as “the complete and utter state where you have the tendency to accidentally drop everything you pick up, causing frustration and embarrassment if there are others in the vicinity.” Although in my case there was…
In a dream, I was leaning over tying my tennis shoes. When I stood up and took a step, I looked down and my shoes were on backwards. I sat back down, switched and re-tied them. When I stood up and took a couple of steps, I saw my shoes were on backwards again. As I sat back down, I thought, “What the heck is going on?” No matter how many times I switched them, when I stood up to…