Brief Note to the Reader for Context
First and foremost before I share the spiritual lessons I’ve learned recently, I want to offer a preface so that all Glory can go to God who is on high! I believe it is Jesus Christ's Holy Spirit living inside of me that offers me the ability to make lasting and enriching changes in my life. I am writing this blog for fellow believers since they will be able to follow this advice because of their own indwelling of the Holy Spirit of God.
But if you are an unbeliever feel free to read it just may not be as relatable!
Our Biggest Spiritual Lesson in the First Quarter of 2024
After Rune and I had conceived and lost our baby (at five weeks pregnant) in August of 2023, we started questioning some of our life choices. The prospect of a new life being added to our family and then suddenly losing our child put our life into a fragile perspective. Life is short, we thought, time to really review our plans for our future.
We began to dream of living on a property where we could create our own homestead, even. Though we don’t have the financial means to purchase said property. We began to wonder whether the desert would be the place where we would want to raise a family or whether it was a part of God’s plan for us at all. We've always dreamt of owning a farm and creating our own homestead but Arizona has such harsh conditions for that lifestyle. Not to mention the cost of living in Sedona was becoming astronomical! We have a good life in Arizona but perhaps the pain of losing our child drove us to try to create a fresh start.
We began to pray for God’s will for our lives. The prayer we kept saying for months was for God to use us for His glory. Wherever we would end up we wanted it to be because He decided we needed to be there. Once our heart’s prayer went out, the possibilities came flooding in:
My dad and stepmom offered for us to live on a part of their land in North Carolina.
Rune’s brother and our sister in law offered for us to come live on their homestead in rural New Zealand.
Finally, Rune was considering attending seminary and was given an opportunity to be counseled by an elder at a church to become certified in Biblical Counseling in Orange County, California.
We started praying for God to illuminate which choice He wanted us to pursue. We asked if God would close any doors that were not in the highest service to Him.
In our eyes, we were selflessly placing our lives on the altar to be sacrificed to a new life that would be completely dedicated to Him. A grandiose act of devotion towards service to God. But little did we know, God was using these circumstances to reveal what was REALLY in our hearts and what we needed was to be humbled.
One by one each of the possibilities seemed less and less viable as the months went by.
First we found out moving the bare minimum of items to North Carolina would be very expensive; more money than what we were trying to escape in monthly rent.
Next, Kane’s passport was denied, so we were physically unable to go to live in New Zealand at this point.
And lastly, we couldn't move to Orange County because it required months of study before Rune would actually be able to have an apprenticeship with the elder to receive his biblical counseling certification. (Not to mention that Orange County was the most expensive option of them all!)
Then the one and only viable choice presented itself: a super affordable house twenty minutes away from Sedona. There were many details that I don't have time to go into where this option required us to swallow our pride. But this was the open door and answered prayer we had waited for nearly six months to receive. After all of our grand ideas, God was telling us to stay right where we were even though we were so determined we were meant to leave. I didn't know it at the time but as they say hindsight is twenty-twenty.
God is More Interested in Changing My Heart
If I am remembering correctly, right before we received the information needed to make our decision (this was in January of 2024) I read the perfect message in my morning Bible study. I'll share that message with you now because it was so impactful.
The summarization of the message was from Numbers 23:27
The story in the book of Numbers involves the prophet Balaam, who was hired by Balak, the king of Moab, to curse the Israelites. Balaam attempted to curse the Israelites from three different locations, each time at Balak's insistence. However, on each occasion, God intervened, causing Balaam to bless Israel instead of cursing them. Balaam recognized the futility of going against God's will and acknowledged that he could only speak the words that God put in his mouth.
In the end, despite Balak's efforts to bring harm to the Israelites, God remained faithful to His covenant with Israel and protected them from harm. Despite Balak's repeated attempts to persuade Balaam to curse Israel, Balaam remained faithful to God's command not to curse them.
This is the quote that struck me deeply from my, “Change your Life, Daily Bible” study:
“Balak took Balaam to several places in an attempt to bring a curse upon the Israelites. He thought a change of scenery might help change Balaam’s mind. But changing locations didn't change God’s will.
Balak's strategy seems ridiculous to us, who know that God is present everywhere. But when we're trying to avoid God's purposes, we probably do equally ridiculous things. We might trust God to guide our careers, while we maintain control of our relationships. We might obey God in how we handle our money, but disregard loving our neighbors. We might have gone the extra mile last time so that this time we can ignore the needs of those around us.
God is not just present in every place. He's also present in every part of our lives. We cannot invite God into certain compartments but cordon off other portions of our lives.
God is wholly committed to you. Committing all the places in our heart to God is a lifelong process. What portion of your heart have you been keeping Jesus out of?”
Merely going to a different mountain top did not change God’s heart towards protecting Israel. And even though the King of Moab attempted to change God’s decision from taking the prophet to different locations, each time God’s answer stayed the same.
It didn’t matter what location changed, God’s objective stayed the same.
This line of thinking and behavior has, sadly, been a longtime pattern in our lives.When I am unsatisfied with my circumstances, I often think changing my environment will change all of my dissatisfaction: that it will give me a fresh start. But what God is teaching me in this season of my life, is that He is keeping me in the same circumstances to change my heart.
What reward will changing my circumstances bring if when I change environments my heart and attitude stays the same? I may gain worldly satisfaction in that change but my soul or even my human character isn't being enriched by that process at all. God is the steward of my soul, so no wonder He is focused on my soul’s growth above all else.
In my previous New Age beliefs, I thought that God was responding to my inner heart’s call every time I received exactly what I was envisioning for my life.
I believed that getting what I had always dreamed of was a sign that I was in alignment with the highest version of myself spiritually. I received most of everything that I had envisioned. And I have had a rich variety of earthly experiences because of it.
BUT…
And that’s a big ‘BUT’…believe it or not I reaped very little soul growth or strength of character from any of it.
My life of comfort offered little to no fruit of the Spirit.
Most of the desires I had before my Christian life, although I thought were coming from a good place, were often selfish in nature or simply just not the best decision for my life.
"A person may think their own ways are right, but the Lord weighs the heart." - Proverbs 21:2
Now I understand from reading the Bible, that God is more like a loving father wanting to help me grow in wisdom and maturity, in His son’s likeness. I can always ask my Father in heaven for what I desire, but His desire is to first and foremost help me to learn to be more like Him.
"For the Lord disciplines the one He loves, and He chastens everyone He accepts as His son." (or His daughters) - Hebrews 12:6
This verse highlights God's care and commitment to a Christian believer’s spiritual development, even when His discipline may be difficult or challenging to endure.
While temporary fixes may offer immediate relief or gratification, they often leave you more vulnerable to the same debilitating reactions to recurring problems or challenges in the future. In contrast, lasting transformation of the heart equips you with the resilience, wisdom, and spiritual resources needed to navigate life's ups and downs with grace, trust, faith and perseverance.
Ultimately, while temporary fixes to external circumstances may provide temporary comfort or relief, they pale in comparison to the profound and lasting impact of inner transformation. True fulfillment, growth and flourishing are found in the ongoing process of allowing God to transform our hearts and conform us to the image of Christ.
"A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of." - Luke 6:45
And in the waiting is where I have learned to seek Him continuously. The waiting has pushed me to reach out to God in prayer, in song and in seeking His will in my life. In the waiting is the opportunity to worship! In the waiting is a precious time to build a deeper relationship with God.
Examples of Spiritual Character Development
Let’s explore some ways God uses trials and hardships to refine our character and build virtues:
Dependence on God: When faced with challenges, Christians are often reminded of their need for God's strength, wisdom and guidance. Through prayer and seeking God's help, individuals develop a deeper reliance on Him, fostering a closer relationship and trust in His provision.
Faith Building: Difficult circumstances provide opportunities for Christians to exercise and strengthen their faith. As they face trials, they have the opportunity to put their trust in God's promises and see Him work in their lives, which deepens their faith and confidence in His sovereignty.
Character Development: Challenges are designed to refine character traits such as patience, perseverance, resilience and humility. Enduring hardships with grace and trust in God's plan shapes individuals into more Christ-like disciples, demonstrating virtues that reflect the character of God.
Empathy and Compassion: Going through difficult times can increase empathy and compassion for others who are facing similar struggles. Christians are called to bear one another's burdens and offer support and encouragement, drawing closer to their community and reflecting Christ's love through acts of kindness and compassion.
Understanding God's Sovereignty: Wrestling with challenges often leads to a deeper understanding of God's sovereignty and His purposes. While difficult circumstances may not always be understood in the moment, trusting in God's sovereignty enables believers to find peace and hope, knowing that He is in control and working all things for their good.
Spiritual Growth Through Adversity: Difficult circumstances provide opportunities for spiritual growth and maturity. As Christians navigate trials with faith and perseverance, they experience transformation and growth in their spiritual walk, becoming more resilient, mature and equipped to handle future challenges.
Testimony and Witness: Overcoming challenges and difficult circumstances can serve as a powerful testimony to God's faithfulness and grace. By sharing their experiences of how God has worked in their lives amidst adversity, Christians can encourage and inspire others in their faith journey, pointing them towards the hope found in Christ.
By consistently applying these principles and seeking to deepen your relationship with God, you can cultivate a deeper sense of trust in His timing and purposes, knowing that He is faithful and trustworthy in all things.
It’s been so liberating to really understand that God's main job in our lives is to change our hearts, not just fix our problems. He wants us to become more loving, humble and faithful.
These qualities are way more important than just making my life more comfortable for a short time.
While God does care about what's happening in our lives, He's more focused on making our hearts new and drawing us closer to Him. This helps us grow and find real happiness, even when things around us aren't perfect. Here’s to committing each day to surrendering to God’s perfect plan for our lives!
Sending a BIG Hug. If you have a prayer request or would like to send a question or comment, please message me by going to my contact page!
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