Developing an inner life with Christ at the center has made all the difference for me. This spiritual practice changed me. I was softening and growing. I was absorbing scripture as I read it. I was increasingly open and honest while reading the Word and seeking God’s face.
Scripture took on a new freshness. I was seeing things as I read that I had not seen before. My perspective altered, little by little. My prayer life took a new turn. My focus was on God as an entity close and personal, who was interested in my prayers, who desired my fellowship, who was engaged in my human struggle, my humanity.
A raw intimacy with God began to grow, borne of increasing familiarity with him and his ways. In a sense, it was like I was being rebirthed as God initiated his divine presence and holiness actively in my life.
Of course, I didn’t realize what was happening to me at the time. All I knew was I was hungry for God. Little did I know, God was awakening me. Everything was significant as things in my world took on new meaning. I was seeing them with new eyes, with the eye of faith.
“The bursting bud, the flow’ring tree, … are miracles we all can see. A life can change, from cruel pain, like sunshine after rain. My heart believes in miracles. O, I believe in God” is how my mother’s mother, Faith Swihart Weigold, wrote it in a song she composed, one that my sisters and I sang as a trio (above picture) and am quoting from memory.
God is doing a beautiful miracle in our lives. We are wise when we embrace his loving touch. Pain comes as we see ourselves with honesty. He is making us new. He has to carve away the stuff that is a hindrance in us. We become more aware of our sin the closer we draw near to God. Then we can deal with it. We are becoming more spiritually sensitive. As a result, we are uncomfortable when our sin causes separation in our relationship. We miss our closeness with God. We will actively initiate steps to restore intimate fellowship with him.
How I see it, we learn, grow and “become” in layers. We also heal, layer by layer, through removing, cleansing, refreshing, embracing, and awakening. Sometimes we get hurt. What we do with our hurt is what matters in the long run. Something is always being discovered, then implemented in our spiritual journey.
Just thought I’d share a few thoughts with you that I’ve been pondering lately.
Her name was Millie. She became my friend when I was thirty-one and she was seventy-two. Our family had just moved to Greenville in the mountains. My third child was two months old, the older children were two and four. It was fall, and cold was setting in. She and her husband were my neighbors, two houses down. The house we’d rented was inadequate for keeping out the cold. She brought over a stack of blankets. We hung one blanket over the sliding glass door as a barrier to the cold. Millie was lovely in every way. She treated our kids to cookies and hot cocoa. She was someone for me to talk to.
Seven Months Later
Millie and Les moved to Chico the same day as my family moved me back to Chico. My husband had just left us out of the blue, with no clue as to his whereabouts. I was a mess. Millie listened. I heard from my husband after four months and when after two more months, I took him back, she cautioned me in a direct, wise, and kind way. I didn’t always heed her advice, but I knew she would not reject me. She stood by me through many years of struggle.
Speaking Life
Millie spoke life to me. She spoke truth to me. She was love to me. I could tell her my troubles, and she didn’t judge me. I told her raw things I was uncomfortable telling my family. She’d been through hard things, as an Okie, the oldest child of several children. Her youngest sister who was twenty years younger than her, she had practically raised. She’d left Oklahoma with her family, and worked in the fields for many months until they made it to California. Her first marriage failed due to his infidelity. Her second husband was a keeper. They met on the dance floor. Les and Millie soon married and set up housekeeping in Berkley where she was a printer and he an interior decorator.
Millie adopted my little family. I soon realized we were not the only ones she had adopted. She loved young people and put into their lives. She had loyal friends of all ages. Her church people loved her too. Millie had learned the secret to life. She loved well. The interesting thing, though, she was a strong woman who didn’t mind saying what she thought.
Les and Millie
As I was writing this post and thinking about its content, immediately Millie came to mind. She lived what I am writing about. Her life was open, honest, affirming, and loving. That affirming quality drew people to her everywhere she went. We all loved her because she loved us. She was like another mother to me. Millie was the genuine article. I lost a true friend when she passed on.
The Reason
What sort of message are we giving off by way of our body language, facial expressions, words, and demeanor? Are we self-aware? Is Christ evident in our reactions? Are we sour and annoyed or content and at peace most of the time. How can we instill positive qualities in ourselves?
There are many answers to these questions and I don’t have all the answers. But I do know that it helps to self-reflect. It helps to go ‘further still’ in our spiritual life. It helps to be self-aware. It helps to forgive others. It helps to reach forward. It helps to heal from what’s hurt us. Most of all, it helps to ask God to grow us and embrace Him in the process. He is the reason.
You Can Do It
Did you know that we can speak life to people we meet? It comes down to our attitude, focus, and bearing. I believe the more we embrace the Father’s love, the more capable we become of living in His great love. We center ourselves in Him as much as we are able, and then He helps Himself to our life to make it pure, holy and loving. Surrendering our will to God’s will makes a huge difference in how we live each day.
We can control most things, even when we’re agitated or elated. In addition, we have a spiritual resource that is ALWAYS available to us. Father, Son, and Spirit are here to help us. Jesus’ life flows through our lives. We can allow Him access, even when we don’t feel like it. He speaks truth to us in our spirit. Our soul is then refreshed.
Speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ.
Ephesians 4:19
You may be at the beginning of your healing journey. Nevertheless, you’re in the game of life. As God renews, heals, transforms, and changes you, something miraculous simultaneously is being released in you. You will know God better, you will have a greater capacity for God-enabled love, joy, and peace.
The Spirit of God at times will overwhelm your spirit as your soul repairs and experiences renewed life. One of the joys of living in the Spirit is an outlook based in grace. This outlook is a deep graciousness that we didn’t manufacture, but God did. People like Millie don’t just happen, they’re nurtured in the Beloved. They live life with purpose. It is natural for them to bless others–for the life of the soul comes from the heart.
May the words of my mouth and this meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, LORD, my Rock and my Redeemer.
Psalm 19:14
Spirit or Flesh?
At any given moment, we are either living out of the flesh or in the Spirit. I’m sorry, but you can’t do both at the same time. I’m not talking about salvation or the Spirit’s work in our lives. I am talking about yielding our lives to God and letting His Spirit direct our path throughout our days.
It’s either this? Open to the flesh.
Or this? Open to the Spirit.
We are either opening the door to the flesh or to the Spirit. When we live in the Spirit then we can speak life to all we meet. We’ll still get bogged down and fail and be disappointed. But we get up, and we choose how we will live, regardless of the other stuff in our life.
Speak life with a smile and comforting word by being direct and kind.
