Jul 17
Spiritual Anchors in Transition
“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times.”
Charles Dickens’ opening statement in a Tale of Two Cities very accurately sums up what we often feel during times of transition. Everything changes and continues to change. Sometimes the change is so prolonged that it seems even change is changing: What we thought was supposed to be the end result doesn’t seem to be anymore. Whether it is a forced transition or a voluntary one, there are paradoxical emotions and thoughts that swirl between joy and sadness, hope and discouragement, patience and impatience. Regardless of what precipitated our time of transition, during transition the unexpected becomes the norm.
THE PROBLEM OF FLYING THROUGH CHANGE
So often, we fly through our changes without truly experiencing them, without knowing the Divine’s deeper purpose in allowing them. We keep thinking that if we can just get to where we are going, everything will be okay, or that we will finally be happy when this is over. We may even tell ourselves that this should not be happening to us. Sometimes we simply move numbly through transition, floating through our days, as though not anchored to anything. This is problematic because in all of these states, we remove ourselves from our spiritual anchors.
ANCHORS
In transition we need anchors. Anchors tell us that God is in this change. His hand is working through all things and changing spiritual matter deep within our innermost shadowed caverns. We are somehow alert to the fact that when this transition is completed, our future will emerge — but we can never shortcut it. You see, transitional changes to our lives are actually meant to bring changes in our lives — i.e., the conclusion is not nearly as important as the process.
CLOUDED PERCEPTIONS
We don’t normally realize this truth until we have exited the transition. That being said, when we realize we are entering a transition, or a darkened place, we need to understand that our perceptions will be clouded as well. In these times, it is good to have spiritual anchors, prayer, biblical roots and friends to stabilize us. To God, these times are important enough to our future that they are worth His allowing them. Yes, our today’s are also important to God, but so are our tomorrows, and transition is one of His means of getting us there.
These spiritual anchors allow us to slow down our thoughts, to refocus, to take courage and to release faith in Him who is far more capable of managing our lives than we are. If we too speedily charge ahead, we neglect to live the life we have, the life He has given us. We become so intent on tomorrow, we lose all recognition of the preciousness of today; if we continue to speed ahead for too long, we risk missing what God has for us to learn. In such cases, we have to go through the process all over again, and that can turn pretty ugly as self-doubt and self-worth constantly lord over us and the darkness seems to thicken.
TRYING TO CHANGE CHANGE
What we will eventually understand is that the one thing we cannot change is change itself. No moment, no echo system, no ethos, however perfect it seems, can be maintained forever. Life moves on, and we are swept along with it. Life is a process, and we are all works of God in His process. It is only through surrender to our unknown future that we find stability and peace. It is through this process that true life actually becomes a stabilizing current that moves us toward the purpose for which we were created.
THE CYCLE OF PROGRESS
It is in accepting life’s processes that we become free to experience these bittersweet glories of transition. No matter how difficult, life is beautiful; no matter how beautiful, life is difficult. It is this paradox that releases compassion. It is through compassion that individuals are touched, lives are changed and others are provoked toward their destinies.
Everything in life has cycles: the Earth, the trees, the crops, even our daily lives. Our lives impact others, and our lives are impacted by others. In the end, it is that impact that determines our everlasting residence with God. I find that so much of my frustration with transition comes from my refusal to accept life’s seasons as they come. Without knowing it, I am trying to play God by determining how, when, where and what I am going to do. And so, as we mature, we find that beneath the turbulence of daily living, there is a longer, slower rhythm and timing to life. If we listen and catch our breath, we can come into a firmer union with that aspect of creation. When we do, we gain assurance, peace and the strength to recognize that God’s timing is better than our own, and it always serves our well-being. In this state of existence, the world does not control our daily lives. We abide in Him, He abides in us, and others notice it. Here we can ask what we want, and it will be granted to us.
It matters little whether we have volunteered for the transition that we are swimming through or whether we were forced into it. It is in God and His spiritual atmosphere that we live and move and have our being. He alone sets the stage for the purpose of our lives. With purposeful intent, He placed us here on this planet. He perfectly timed our existence for this very hour.
GOD’S GUIDANCE
God’s Spirit runs through His children and is an inner river that is accessible at any time. We are constantly guided by that Spirit, and that inner Voice gives us focus and knowledge about the circumstances and situations we find ourselves in. It is during the turbulence of transition that we must actively, and passionately, stir ourselves to seek deeper meaning, higher perceptions and fullness of life in Him. It is here in transitional states that we grow in Him in leaps and bounds, more than we might have been able to grow in the past 10 years. We often learn more from 10 days of agony than 10 years of contentment.
Finally, when we experience a greater and “fiercer” transition, perhaps one that lasts longer than any other has, we can be sure of one thing — career changes are in store. By career changes, I do not necessarily mean changing types of employment, but that what is happening is meant to change the way we approach and perceive all matters of life. To those who are children of the Most High, life perception changes will always result in promotion, financial increase, deeper relationships and/or an abiding peace that all is well in God’s hand.
God does not trumpet when we are about to make these important life decisions. Why? because, He wants those decisions to be made from the fruit of our heart toward Him. The closer we are to Him, the better the fruit and the clearer the decision. Truly as we commit our ways to Him, our thoughts are established and through those thoughts the future becomes far brighter.
In my times of transition, I have found that it is great to have an end to journey toward, but in retrospect, it is actually the journey that matters in the end.
We know delight has been found when we look back and with deep heart felt passion, look God in the eyes and say, “The price was worth it.”
In my next post I’ll start to write on the Three Phases of the Dark Night of … .
Blessings,
John Paul
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John Paul hits another one out of the park! Blessings on your head, you have been an absolute crutch as I limp through this wilderness.
A song from” Joseph, King of Dreams” (the DreamWorks movie) has been ministering to me:
I thought I did what’s right
I thought I had the answers
I thought I chose the surest road
But that road brought me here
So I put up a fight
And told You how to help me
Now just when I have given up
The truth is coming clear:
You know better than I
You know the way
I’ve let go the need know why
For you know better than I
xxoo
what is it when you know your in transition and your waiting as patiently as you know how for God to bring your furture, new thing, relief. And you cant help but think you should be doing what you want to do. even though its the thing your waiting for. i feel no zeal for it no favor on it but i know how to do it. do you just do it or wait for something magical from the lord. some sort of opening or knowing that its time? it’s time to do what you already know how to do even though you don’t know how to make it happen? does this make any sense? does anyone answer questions on here or is that another forum?
jaime
My Anchors:
1. KNOWING GOD IS WITH ME
2. TRUSTING GOD
3. WORSHIP
4. KNOWING THE SAME POWER THAT CONQUERED THE GRAVE LIVES IN ME
5. CRIES FOR MERCY IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT KNOWING HE IS MERCIFUL
5. RISK IS WHERE HE WANTS ME - HANGING OUT ON THE EDGE IS OK BY HIM - breaking free from the mediocre
6. KNOWING THERE IS ONLY ONE ROAD TO TAKE, AND I AM ON THE RIGHT ROAD.
How wonderful is He that sustains us through all things and shines through us as beacons brightest when we are in the dark. Candles appear brightest in the dark. How we work through our struggles shines a great light to others. Wonderful God works through our weakness.
I can remember when I loved change…15-20 years ago, I thought change was exciting. Boy has my perspective changed… :/
Thanks for sharing on this subject; it seems we are not the only ones who feel like we are not in Kansas anymore?
“We know delight has been found when we look back and with deep heart felt passion, look God in the eyes and say, “The price was worth it.””
Oh, my!!!! My heart leaps at the thought at being at that place … thank you so very much for the reminder …
Quietly chewing on this.
John Paul:
This is the corrected version of my post, thanks!
John Paul wrote:
THE CYCLE OF PROGRESS
It is in accepting life’s processes that we become free to experience these bittersweet glories of transition. No matter how difficult, life is beautiful; no matter how beautiful, life is difficult. It is this paradox that releases compassion. It is through compassion that individuals are touched, lives are changed and others are provoked toward their destinies.
Shirley’s Response:
Yes, in these summer months, I do find myself on the slow motion track of accepting this life process called transition for several reasons.
As this chapter in my life and the life of my family unfolds, I find a few things happening. My children are no longer children anymore, they have their own minds, own hearts, will and emotions. They are making their own decisions. Some decisions have been very hair raising for me as I pour out my heart out to the Lord on their behalf, however it appears not to be very hair raising to them at least to my physical eyes and ears as I patiently await feedback from them. I say that laughing because, like every mother in this life, I have learned to form a secret network of reliable witnesses, that can give me accurate information that my young adults are not free to release to me directly probably based on their own pride issues(lol).
Motherhood, what an adventure, what a ministry. It definitely keeps my prayerlife fruitful especially on their behalf.
In these life circumstances, where each member of my own family’s lives are changing constantly in this difficult season of transition due to life decisions ie. career change, decisions to enter into marriage, job, ministry or all the above, I find that in order for me to receive peace and grace in all this, I have to trust God, and continually keep turning them over to Him who created their personhood and everything about them. This alows me to be open to receive freedom to enter into the next phase in my life’s journey with the Lord and what He has for me in the next phase of my life.
Observing these changes often times especially within the last few weeks has been very hard for me to the point that I had to literally take a time out, by removing myself from the situations at hand so that I could come back to a sense of peace. At times it was hours at a time or even a full day. I call these “day breaks”. Sometimes it would be between me and the Lord or another person, myself and the Lord. Either way these times of refreshing would be times in which the Lord would give me permission to just cry out to Him in the middle of these life changing events during the transitions.
I believe that when you are a parent watching your children who were once babies grow up in this world where darkness is prevelant at least 70 per cent of the time, it is hard to watch them fly the coup knowing what awaits them and what they will have to endure in some circumstances they have to face.
One thing that gave me feedback as my 18 year old daughter Naomi was moving out of the house, a few weeks ago, something that I wanted prolonged until at least 21 years of age in my own mind and heart, was that she released this information to my husband, her stepfather, that she was hurting too and that she wasn’t mad at me, this was something she needed to do for herself and that her desire was that we would still have a close relationship and that this affirmation would get her through this transition in her life.
After the news from my husband reached my ears via the cell phone, I cried out tears of sadness and joy at the same time.
As the result of this long awaited revelation, I gladly picked up my cell phone from the undisclosed location in my van which was the opposite end of the church parking lot where I had been observing her moving out from a distance note: (we live on the church property and the parking lot is big) and proceeded to call her to tell her that I love her and we will get together when she settles into her new apartment to plan for her wedding and so I wait with compassion
In the shadows of the best of times and the worst of times,
Shirley C.
John Paul,
What you have written is so true. Mine is a very long story, too long to write about in a blog, but know that you have encouraged me…greatly. Thank you.
Now I cannot hardly wait to read about the Dark Night of the …
Hope you take us through the Dark Night of the Soul and the Dark Night of the Spirit.
This song brought to mind Rita Springer’s “Worth It All”. Like your post, this song helps me, especially on those days when I’m tempted to quit. Thanks!
Z
Worth It All
I don’t understand your ways
Oh but I will give you my song
Give you all of my praise
You hold on to all my pain
With it you are pulling me closer
And pulling me into your ways
Now around every corner
Up every mountain
I’m not looking for crowns
Or water from fountains
I’m desperate in seeking, frantic believing
That the sight of your face
Is all that I’m needing
I will say to you
Its gonna be worth it,
Its gonna be worth it all,
I believe this.
Its gonna be worth it,
Its gonna be worth it all,
I believe this.
i am learning to………….be, a day at a time
Need to “chew” on this one myself for a while. So much is in here. I’m sure I will need to read this over a few times.
Thanks John Paul, Im looking forward to the next post subject. Seems that one will be hitting me, and yet possibly helping me, where it currently hurts…..
Grateful….
This is very encouraging. One thing that I can relate to is agony & pain. In my times of agony I cry out to God and although he doesn’t bring the resolution at the moment that I am seeking him, he knows the perfect time. This is something that I learned after going through many years of extreme trials. But, when God shows up all the pain is taken away and it is like it was never there. Then there is great joy and peace, as all things become new. It is worth it, as it brings us into a more intimate relationship with him. Intimacy with God is worth more than all the riches in the world. Lord, as we place our trust and hope in you, have your way with us and lead us into your perfect will.
Blessings
I really like this, and I find it rather soothing to read. At the same token, there is one thing that I thought ‘hmmm. maybe not’
you Had said “No matter how difficult, life is beautiful; no matter how beautiful, life is difficult”
At first glance, I thought that I would agree, but I realize that I used to beleive that way. Over time I realized that life really wasn’t difficult at all, it was my illusions of difficulty and my resistence to the quickenings of the spirit brought through life circumstances, that were actually causing the difficulties to be evident. Many times in the past I have beleived that there is beauty in things ‘unbeholding’ and ‘difficult’ and ‘dark nights’ but at deeper introspection, I think I can now appreciate them, like you said, where I am now.. I actually look back and allow the looking back to propel me through the newer transitions. I am not so afraid any more. The changes dont’ get more difficult, but they stay beautiful, I just tell my flesh and soul regions to shut up because the Holy Spirit knows what they are doing. The Holy SPirit knows what they are leading us into, and there is no need for us to see it as difficult. Many times it is our visual perceptions of the circumstance that makes the circumstance that much harder.
I am not trying to strain a gnat here, for surely I love this blog, but I just thought I would share that.
I find this blog rather intriguing also because I just got done listening to a series by Neale Donald Walsh Called “the Heart of Truth” while the series is obviously not based in a spirit sense, the man has alot of insights and spiritual understanding that in his searching for truth and light, God has given him slivers of truth. I found some of the things he said rather refreshing.
They actually also touch base with what you are talking about here, and the ‘being’ aspect of the journey.
I think the section I like the most about this blog is when you said :
“God’s Spirit runs through His children and is an inner river that is accessible at any time. We are constantly guided by that Spirit, and that inner Voice gives us focus and knowledge about the circumstances and situations we find ourselves in. It is during the turbulence of transition that we must actively, and passionately, stir ourselves to seek deeper meaning, higher perceptions and fullness of life in Him.”
This is so beautiful, and I am amazed at how many people over the years that I have run into that don’t realize they have God all the time (and timelessness) and that they can commmune with him constantly. That one aspect alone, would revolutionize the ‘church’ body. I am thankful so many are going through transitions now, and even though it appears difficult at times, I pray that God would direct us all into the ‘right seeing’ and that we would see the rainbows of the throne in every transition.
Beautiful, John Paul. Truth and poetry woven together . . .
This is one of the most puzzling times of transition in my life. And boy have I had many. It is ever so amazing, yet so painful. It is lonely, yet filled with with wonderful friends. I have just returned from India. I hardly know what to say. How do you describe such a place? I guess in some ways it is all that is evil, yet all that is beautiful in the Lord. It has forever changed me, though I’m not sure how. I saw India through the eyes of a precious woman of God who grew up there. To see it through her was to see it through the heart of God. To look through God’s heart was to see hope: precious, wonderful, joyous hope. I guess it is a part of me now & forever. So now I wait rather impatiently on what this deep, deep change in my life entails. I cannot, as this timely lesson demonstrates, hurry into this with my business as usual attitude. I have, most of the time found out what my orders were just in the nick of time to complete them. But this, this is vital for me to walk step by step, as if I were in a minefield. This is new territory, & this land cannot be taken by the enemy. Please pray for me & for India that all that the Lord desires will come to pass in His time. And those of you who are going through similar times of walking in His call to the nations I pray the Lord will continue to lead. Help us to change Lord from glory to glory. Thank You John Paul for listening to the heart of God, for the encouragement & for helping me put this in some kind of perspective. This is the first time I have been able to put this in words.
Thank you John Paul. From the moment I did the 101 with Zach in the UK almost a year ago, God has taken me on a roller-coaster with major ups and major downs. I now feel I have entered in these last couple of months into a period of transition pretty much as you describe it. It is so hard to sit still and wait, but at the same time I feel inside like I am growing as I hadn’t grown before, and in a strange kind of way I feel more peace in the uncertainty of what will happen next than I ever did when I knew exactly where I was going.
I just want to say thank you for the way you make yourself vulnerable in your teaching, both through your blog and various teaching series on your cds, by sharing your own personal experiences and past mistakes.
Thank you, thank you and thank you.
May God continue to bless you and your family, your ministry and your ability to reveal what is unseen.
Mercedes
Never stop writing John Paul. You’re experience and insight touches my heart every time, and always ministers at that place of need.
I came barreling in to this blog site a few months ago not even being sure what I was doing. Your words have aided my return to the Body of Christ but life did not ease up suddenly. Instead, it got much worse…loss of promotion, possible loss of financial stability, loss of my job looms on the horizon, loss of health, possible loss of retirement, humiliation, demotion, and the struggle that God has still not healed my child.
After the fear and panic gripped me from every direction, stillness settled in. After trying to figure out what to do next about everything, a release of everything has come. How could I ever come to this point? How could I ever find myself so trusting of God when just about everything has been hit? How can this be? Only by His work and faithfulness.
John Paul, I hope there is something like “promotion, financial increase, deeper relationships and/or an abiding peace” at the end of this obstacle course. I certainly recognize a massive perception change. Evenso, I feel like I’ve let go of the ‘promotion’ and the dependence I had upon so many other things other than God. When just months ago I bit my lip wondering if God was going to be there in our trouble I’m now reclined to see what He is unfolding next.
One of Those
The price…what it cost me…it was worth it.
My anchor is God.
Thanks for sharing on such deep things.
Tanya
Wow.. this series of Transition has been exactly what I have been experiencing. I have known for awhile now that I have a calling on my life.
If I look back I can see how much i have grown.
I like what you said John Paul when you said “It is here in transitional states that we grow in Him in leaps and bounds, more than we might have been able to grow in the past 10 years. We often learn more from 10 days of agony than 10 years of contentment.”
I am at a point now, without going into much detail b/c it is a LONG story, I feel I am at a point of anticipation. The Lord during this transition was gracious enough to give me dreams and visions to aid me along this path.
The only way I can explain it is this.. I am excited but yet saddened. Because I know going through this it is allowing people that I love and care about look at the situation and say “what are you doing?” and some are unsaved so I cant tell them what my God is doing, they would not understand. But I can tell them to keep watching because the Lord is going to explode me out of this. lol
Dude I don’t know if you read all your comments but I just gotta say. I can’t make it. I seriously want to die. I think the only thing that could justify the amount of pain I am in every day is being in heaven. I just want to die man. I’m so afraid I’m gonna fail.
Jesus remarkable healing ministry also has a spiritual side besides the natural works in Israel recorded which we read in the gospel. He heals the eyes of the blind so that we can “see” from a better heavenly perspective. Herein lies an anchor of transition - seeing with spiritual eyes.
Have you ever wondered what would this world look like if we see them with spiritual sight? Jesus Himself had a lot of spiritual sight, considering how He made parables to the things of life. In my expereince, when you begin to see something spiritual in things, you will appreciate, hate, grieve over, love that thing more. And you established yourself deeper in the truth with vision.
We can take some lessons from God as we see from a spiritual perspective. Our sight doesn’t have to be blibical based because some of the beauty of the Lord reflected in things of this world are not even mentioned in scriptures like cars representing ministries. Well if you want scriputure, woman can represent the church, thieves the Lord, light illumination of the truth etc… And you would love the world. Trust me you will…
Paul remarked that the spiritual life is like an atheletic race, when you begin to see life like a race, your attitudes line up with the truth. So you act likewise. Discipline becomes second thought as long you keep the vision in your mind. Of course other good attitudes will come into the picture. This is the power of vision, it creates attitudes we cannot conjure in the flesh. The clearer it is, the more powerful the attitudes.
When you have the knowledge of God, you can see the whole world in a spiritual sight & this generates victory. Let Jesus heal your eyes & life becomes beautiful. Consider Jesus He looked at life & saw spiritual analogies, parables & true prophetic symbolisms. This is how life becomes beautiful. And this is an anchor i find very helpful in my spiritual life.
It’s the best of times,and it is the worst of times. Profound statement! All the emotions come and you feel like you are in a whirlwind. I try to go back to the last place of peace and get into the inner river with God and I can usually see and understand what He is trying to show me. If I can trust a shift in my spirit usually happens. It is as simple as breathing in and breathing out. It is the breath of God that has done a deep work.
Sometimes understanding the cycles are difficult. If we understood the cycles it would be easier to go throught the cycle. I am starting to recognize the anchors that God sends in my life and I pay attention to what they are saying. I am actually grateful when they come.The blogs give insight to which I am greatful. Looking forward to the next blog. Thanks for sharing what God has taught you.
I’m so glad our Father loves so much that He will not leave us in a rut. Every day brings change of some things and every day brings waiting for change in other things. Like a river moving along its course, sometimes it’s fast and furious, other times it’s slow and peaceful. The great thing is that we can have peace thru it all if we trust. To me faith is trust. I don’t know what’s ahead, yet my spirit is being prepared for the future! How exciting and creative is our God!
Hey Joe…
I sympathise with you…I’ve felt the same way, but after a while I kinda start to feel numb and because I still keep alive, I think “Well, I’m not gonna die either, so might as well get with the program…whatever that may be for the day…”
The thought of leaving eventually goes away, and then God appears in the smallest of things in the brightest of ways…
Stay with us for a bit longer…He’s worth it!
God Bless!
Hi John Paul,
I just want to say that I am so greatfull and thankfull to God that he could find a man that he would trust with his wisdom in such a way that is impacting the world, God bless you my brother, your posts help me a lot.
John Paul, thanks for this message- Timely! there is a wee bit that confuses me though; Where you say that ” To those who are children of the Most High, life perception changes will always result in promotion, financial increase, deeper relationships and/or an abiding peace that all is well in God’s hand.”
I am in the process of change, and have sicknesses visiting my body that means I can’t work right now, so though I know that He continues to be exactly who He says He is, and that all the promises are still yes and amen,AND there, most of the time(!), is the peace that no-one can describe, I dont seem to be living in His plenty- despite a regular confession that I live in the abundance of His house! Is there something I’m missing? Is there a key hidden I dont yet know about? A few clues would be helpful! Thanks for this site and God Bless,
Rose
In the words of shrek!
“Change is good donkey!”
It’s been a sobering thought. I’ve been so consumed with change and getting myself from point A to point B and the most frustrating yet exciting place to be is in the now, the working of it, the process of it.
I’m challenged with something…
I’m challenged to give my all where I am today. I know that God has placed me in my church fellowship for a reason but I’m still challenged to give my all because I know it’s not long term.
That said, I really don’t know exactly for how long this short period really is and I could hesitate to give my all and then look back 5 yrs from now and wonder why things really haven’t changed for me. And hopefuly 5 yrs from now I’ll look back and thank the Lord for this season I’m in right now.
John Paul,
I have truly enjoyed all of your blogs on ‘Transition’. They have helped me so much in understanding this topic and the areas I’ve been facing over the years and face now in regards to transition, change and realizing the leading of the Lord and His ways. They have also helped me to know and I know they’ve helped many causing us to see His purpose for our lives (even though God’s ways are higher than ours). I’ve highlighted them all (including this last one) and copied and pasted to Word to print out and read over and over…..And I could not wait to hear more each time. I even shared with others who don’t have access to internet and knew they’d appreciate reading these wonderful tid-bits you shared with us all. I wait patiently and look forward to your next post “Three Phases of the Dark Night of …”. Thank you so much for allowing the Holy Spirit to use you in such a powerful way to encourage us all.
Blessings!
Thank you for hitting it on the head.
GOD is in control :
He is IN me..
He is WITH me..
He is GUIDING me..
and
He is GIVING ME VICTORY….
In His Name I Pray Always.
Bob
I am not sure what is happening with me, but I have been thinking about everything that I have experienced in the last four years. I feel this gratitude for all that God has done and for all the people that he has brought into my life. I am so thankful for everything that God has done, is doing, and is about to do. The past, present and the future is in his hands. It brings tears to my eyes as I remember all the people that God has used to touch my life. Thank you,God. Thank you,God. Thank you,God.
Many Blessings
This blog is becoming one of my “anchors”
WOW, such wisdom and insight is coming from all of you, and its so helpful.
GOD IS GOOD…ALL THE TIME…and ALL THE TIME….you know this one guys (wink)
Thankful
After a long conversation tonight with Rebecca, my ever-guiding friend who just sent me John Paul’s link with her intro: “This nails what we are experiencing. Click on the Coffee Talk link. Gold nuggets in there. It will help confirm your position and shine light in your perspective. This will make your day!”
Which it has!
Here is one confirming gem I found… “Saint John of the Cross, Dark Night of the Soul”… this dark night is described in my ZenZuu profile:
“I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death.” Philippians 3:10 (New International Version)
~ About Dark Night of the Soul: “The most intense period of that great swing-back into darkness which usually divides the ‘first mystic life’, or Illuminative Way, from the ’second mystic life’, or Unitive Way, is generally a period of utter blankness and stagnation, so far as mystical activity is concerned. The ‘Dark Night of the Soul’, once firmly established, is seldom lit by visions or made homely by voices … The once-possessed power of … contemplation now seems wholly lost.” (Underhill, p.380-412)
~ Knowing you, my friend, is a pleasure. Thank you for reading. Stay close my dear, I love you.
~ Suz
I can harkly wait to read what John Paul has to say about Saint John of the Cross, Dark Night.
Thank you Rebecca!
Slowing down, slowing down my thoughts, even my breathing, not being so intent on getting there…instead, enjoying life and the process. Yet in the fast-paced business world, the pace of which is exhilarating at times, at other times it wears you out, it seems that’s the pace to go at to “make” things happen.
I’m diving into Dallas Willard’s stuff at deeper levels, especially about learning from Jesus how to do my job as if He were me, and seeing Him as the best at what I do, since He knows everything, is the smartest person who ever walked the earth, understands humankind, knows economics and finance like no one else since essentially, He is behind what those fields entail. He knows physics, psychology, sales, leadership, you name it, He’s the smartest and the best at it - How cool does that make Him! Wow!
Willard says this is a major part of being His disciple, learning from Jesus how to do my job as if He were me. I’m pretty sure He would not be Mr. Frantic!
Blessings to you JP, once again! Thanks for your help through this!
Dennis
The last few months I have gotten a card on dreams from John Paul.I learn if you have a dream about a hallway it means transition, certainly the Lord is doing that in my life.It will produce change.I believe change comes about through patience going in those narrow places.I noticed a hallway is narrow,I never saw one wide.
John Paul,
I really appreciate your ministry, not this article only, but so many of the works God has entrusted to you to share.
Honestly, i easily embrace change but have found embracing transition (the time in between where i am, and where i believe God has said he is taking me)to be much more difficult. Thank you for addressing this issue in a way in which others can relate and derive comfort in the transitional process.
Blessings Upon Blessings!
Mary
Blessings to all…
This note is especially for ROSE:
You were puzzled, or confused a bit about prospering in the Lord -things didn’t seem to be happening even though you confessed that you are a partaker of the the Lord’s House and His blessings (paraphrased).
I can offer you some spiritual lessons from my own personal journey and anointing on my life given to me from the Lord, along with my own personal observations as to what I did thru it all. In hindsight, going back 11 yrs when the first financial miracle took place after my husbands sudden death, I have observed a pattern that may possibly help you in your life.
Please understand as you read the steps I have noted in my own walk, that I am not pointing a finger at your walk with the Lord, Rose. That is not my intention whatsoever… I’m simply sharing what I found myself doing and what He ended up doing:
1. Grace… Prospering is a Grace.. And a lot of it.
2. He became, and still is, first in all things… I put Him over and above all things in my day…
3. Separated myself from anything that was unclean - I did my best to obey in any area I was confronted with.
4. Dilegence. I live in the Word of God. I listen to faith teachings almost every day and sometimes many times a day.
Faith for any victory comes by hearing the Word. Any Promise will never just fall on a child of God out of nowhere unless Divine Intervention has occured by the Will of God for a specific purpose…. but that is not the rule, rather the exception.
5. Faithfulness. He taught me to tithe.. I had no job, husband died, was sick, but what little I did have, He taught me to tithe it. Dispite the fear, I did so. And that was the beginning of the first financial miracle, which was very large. I realized I was developing a giver’s heart…Eventually it became my life..looking for ways to give and get the Gospel to someone: both in small ways or big venues.
6. Worship… every act we do unto Him in word, action, deed, thoughts, song or service is an act of Worship.
7. Patience…. By patience we receive the Promise
8. My love walk was in need of great improvement. Faith works by love …And so my love walk has (present tense) to be daily developed and corrected, being quick to repent and forgive.
9. Listening for His Voice to follow His instructions into an area that He knows He can prosper you–individually–unique–to you personally.
10. Because of all the above, oftentimes that is when you will get a Word of “rhema”… when the Spirit uses the written word of God (especially) and it comes off the page to you while reading;
consequently becoming the spiritual, divine, insight you need for your particular path to prospering. I have had it happen more than once in the same manner, along with the Holy Spirit speaking quietly inside me telling me of something to come….a “word of Wisdom”…part of the Gifts of the Spirit.
11. Not least…probably the greatest… Thankfulness in all things. From the very beginning to the time of manifestation, regardless of how long the time period. He knows what you need and He will take care of you until He supplies you with what He desires to bless you with. Thankfulness — for every good
thing– every provision while in the waiting period. And thankfulness of what He told you He was going to perform for you
as though it had come to pass.
12. Prosperity will never just fall on us. It is a process, always. The Lord said, “If you are willing and obedient you will eat the good of the Land.”…
That process pertains to the forementioned observations I found myself doing as time went along. I didn’t make the list. It was developed by Him, and then I found it was His Word working in me.
I sincerely hope that some of these lessons I learned will help you in your walk with the Lord. It is His desire to not only take care of you, but to prosper you so that you are Blessed to become a Blessing.
Love in Our Lord Jesus
Denise
tears of joy flow freely baking bread and poured out wine in rivers of joy forever more more love more power i can’t contain it at all it just pours out all around me more glory more fire more of you Father read the shack he is all we need Shalom
So… just when I thought I was seeing the light at the end of the transition tunnel, I’ve been thrown for another loop, and the light is no longer visible! ‘Embrace change,’ all of my close friends tell me. WELL, this change process has been going on for more than 4 years. ENOUGH ALREADY! Hee Hee, obviously NOT enough already!
My daughter has this knack for being right in the middle of the greatest, most fun thing (like a theme park or water park experience) and she’ll say, ‘Tomorrow is not going to be any fun’ or something to that effect. I then wonder, ‘Where on earth did that come from?’ realizing full well it has been learned from her mom! Together as a family, we are learning to enjoy today and what He gives us TODAY, and not to fret about tomorrow, not because tomorrow has enough worries for itself, but because tomorrow has more to enjoy. The worries can care for themselves, because they’re in the hands of Father who loves us.
I don’t want to ‘fly through’ or ‘numbly move through’ this process. I want to grow in relationship with the God who loves me and cares for me and knows my every need and who knows the beginning from the end, whose plan for my life is bigger and better than anything I could dream of. I will embrace the changes, continue to dream knowing what I dream is only a shadow of what He dreams for me, and move through this time of transition well anchored always pressing deeper and deeper into relationship with Him. Earth time is short; eternity is, well, forever! May this time of transition bring me ever closer to the heart of the Eternal One who loves me and knows me best!
Thanks to you John Paul for these most encouraging and timely articles on change. Thanks to those of you who comment. Your insights have been encouraging to me as well. Bless you, Maryann
Joe how are you??? Joe Joe Joe how are you???