I have been in a desert place the last month or so. I have been unable to put together cohessive thoughts on things I have been reading and pondering. For me, in reality for all of us, I don't think this is uncommon. There are times when I feel close to God, thoughts come and I can articulate them well, and life goes on. These are productive times in one sense, but to be honest there is less transformation of me personally.
For me, transformation comes when I am stretched and tested. It is in these refining fires that I am open to deep transformation. Transformation that seems to create some of my life altering changes. I hope that this makes sense to you. It's not that either of these positions are better than the other - we need both times of rest and times of refining. A couple of my former seminary profs called this cycle a transformations crucible. In the center we can find rest, but around the edges we get our impurities burned away.
Our current message series at my church is called Inked (click here if you want to view) has been great because they have been focusing on the promises that God has given us in His Word. You see it are these promises that I turn to, that we all should turn to when we are in the desert places. As one of the Jasons said this last weekend (and I paraphrase), when you feel alone add 1 because God is there.
Don't run from times of trial, struggle, hurt or aloneness - rather lean into the promises of God, seek out others for support, open yourself up to the Holy Spirit's transformational work and see where God brings you.
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