When you encounter God's tangible presence and compassion in thin places— those moments when you feel like your heart's running out of breath… when your soul's so threadbare, it hurts…and when you can't quite carry the weight of your own life anymore— it changes everything.
I've walked through several seasons of what an ancient church father, Saint John of the Cross, called a "dark night of the soul."
There've been seasons when my head held onto cognitive information about our Redeemer, but my heart was limping far behind my confessed theology.
Thankfully, Jesus sat with me in the sad. He softened the hard places, strengthened the broken ones, and whispered throughout those long, dark nights:
"Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze. For I am the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior; I give Egypt for your ransom, Cush and Seba in your stead. Since you are precious and honored in my sight, and because I love you." (Isaiah 43:1b-4a; NIV)
When I finally began to realize that spiritual maturity is less about accumulating knowledge about God and more about intimacy with Jesus, it radically transformed my faith—and it can transform yours, too.
That message is at the heart of my new Bible study, A Jesus-Shaped Life, and I'm thrilled to share that the FaithGateway community is inviting us to join the free online Bible study experience.
If you're longing for more intimacy and authenticity in your relationship with God, I hope you'll sign up. When you register, you'll receive a free resource kit and access to my seven companion teaching sessions.
Perfection is so not a prerequisite for Christlikeness…but honesty is. So, if you're ready to peel off your emotional Spanx, please consider signing up to join us today.
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