“It is only by leaving home and taking a
pilgrimage that we will begin to see how our
pilgrimage that we will begin to see how our
own stories are interwoven with
the great Romance God has been telling since before
the great Romance God has been telling since before
the dawn of time” (Curtis,
10). This is not everyone’s journey, to physically leave
10). This is not everyone’s journey, to physically leave
home, but I would like
to tell you how the Lord is using this pilgrimage to romance
to tell you how the Lord is using this pilgrimage to romance
me.
We
all have “arrows,” as John Eldridge and Brent Curtis call them in ‘The Sacred
all have “arrows,” as John Eldridge and Brent Curtis call them in ‘The Sacred
Romance,’ places in our lives that are wounded. The enemy uses these vulnerable
places in our lives to drive those arrows deeper. Many times we feel ashamed or
weak about the wounded places of our soul, and more often than not we don’t
even
even
know they are there.
A
large part of this journey (outside of ministry of course) is allowing the Lord
to
large part of this journey (outside of ministry of course) is allowing the Lord
to
come into those wounded places and heal our hearts, to grow us into the men
and
and
women He has created us to be. As a part of my daily life over the past few
years I
years I
have began to ask God to ‘heal my heart,’ and I can see God answering
this cry now.
this cry now.
One
of the ways we do this on The World Race is through feedback. Every night we
of the ways we do this on The World Race is through feedback. Every night we
come together as a family and express our feelings about the day or what is
going on
going on
in our lives or lies we believe. Our desire is to be in such a place
of vulnerability that
of vulnerability that
nothing is left in the dark and truths can be spoken into
those lies. By doing this we
those lies. By doing this we
not only begin the healing process, but we begin
to eliminate possible footholds for
to eliminate possible footholds for
satan. This process has already, in just
two weeks, produced much growth in our
two weeks, produced much growth in our
team.
I
challenge you to begin praying this prayer with me; to ask God to reveal the
arrows
challenge you to begin praying this prayer with me; to ask God to reveal the
arrows
of your life and to heal them. And when He shows you, to be willing to
talk about
talk about
them to someone or several people. I will also warn you, this process
is one of
is one of
refinement through fire and can be painful. “This third I will
bring into the fire, I will
bring into the fire, I will
refine them like silver and test them like gold”
(Zechariah 13:9). Opening yourself up
(Zechariah 13:9). Opening yourself up
to allowing God to show you the broken,
wounded places in your life will most
wounded places in your life will most
definitely bring up feelings of pain and
hurt, but be encouraged, “joy come[s] in the
hurt, but be encouraged, “joy come[s] in the
morning” (Psalm 30:5, KJV).
For
a long time now, God has been showing me that joy also comes in the mourning.
a long time now, God has been showing me that joy also comes in the mourning.
We must morn and
grieve the hurt places of our lives in order to come through the
grieve the hurt places of our lives in order to come through the
fire refined.
But oh how beautiful the refined, healed, whole heart is! “[A]bove all
But oh how beautiful the refined, healed, whole heart is! “[A]bove all
else,
the Christian life is a love affair of the heart” (Curtis, 8).
the Christian life is a love affair of the heart” (Curtis, 8).
I
will leave you with a verse that has encouraged me during times of refinement:
will leave you with a verse that has encouraged me during times of refinement:
“Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds,
because
because
you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance” (James
1:2-3).
1:2-3).
Many
Blessings,
Kim
(Much
of this comes from what God has been teaching me through the book, The
of this comes from what God has been teaching me through the book, The
Sacred Romance,
by Brent Curtis and John Eldridge.)
by Brent Curtis and John Eldridge.)
