The hand of God is always gentle.  To think otherwise means you begin your journey to God on the wrong path.

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Some believe God is cruel or judgemental or impossible to please or angry with them or wanting to catch them out.  To believe such things is to begin your journey on a path of lies. So, before you can go anywhere, you need to discover the heart of the one you are trying to find.  So how does one do that?

 

One begins with nature.  Everything was created by God’s hand, the same hand that wants to fill your life and glove.  Before you can begin to let this hand in, you need to discover whether or not you can trust him or her.  For it will be unlikely that you will open yourself up to one who you believe might hurt or harm you in any way.  This is a sensible outlook to have.  Therefore, it must be God that first finds you and begins a relationship, where you can discover more about him or her.

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God is extremely patient. You can have as long as you like to get to know him/her, for (S)he knows that any lasting, fruitful, meaningful relationship begins with baby steps. Trust can take many, many years to form and grow.

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It is a bit like planting something of great worth in the soil.  At first everything is hidden, but after time you begin to see small shoots bursting through to the world beyond that of the roots.

 

The same is true with our relationship with God.  At first everything seems to be in the dark.  We feel foundational roots being birthed and laid but can’t really see where they’re going to.  Then we begin to feel a still small voice within us saying,

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“There is more to life than remaining roots in dark wet soil.  There is more.  Trust me.  There is a whole new world beyond this soil you are contained within.  It lies above you and it’s full of colour and light.  I know you can’t see it from where you are, but I promise you that if you have the courage to leave the limited containment of this world and push your way upwards, you will discover this new life.

 

Others might tell you not to bother as it is a myth or a lie, but I am promising you that where you live, contained and trapped, is never the life I had planned for you.  You were only meant to remain here until your roots were well enough formed to hold and support you in later years as you grow and thrive above ground.

 

Don’t listen to others and let them hold you back, for they will never discover the full life destined for them.  They will never discover their colour, or their leaves or even what flowers they might have blossomed into. 

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But you who dare to grow into this new kingdom above, you will.  You will never look back or regret for a second the choice you made to follow the something within you urging you on to become all you were created to be. 

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So trust me that my plans for you are not to harm you but to bless and prosper you.  You may at times grow tired and weary of the long journey upwards and through and over the lumpy soil, stones and rubble which you might have to push past on the way.  However, once you feel the light and warmth on your face, it will have been worth it.

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You will learn to trust me with every step we take together.  You will learn more of my heart for you and this world you live within and eventually you will trust me with your life.  It will be then, when your glove is full of life, that you will finally discover your meaning and purpose for being here.

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This journey can take many years, so begin today with a tiny little baby step, of something you could feel able to do to begin this spiritual journey.  It might be a cry from your heart, “Lord help me find you.”  It might be releasing a balloon saying “I’m letting go of my reservations about an alternative life greater than this one and trusting that the balloon will fly high on the winds of my faith.”  It might be journaling to God, sharing your heart about how you feel or where you are at.  It matters not.

 

What matters most, is taking that first step of faith in something greater than yourself.  The path will appear when you dare to take your first step of faith.

 

 

Prayer

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Giver of Life,

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Help me discover the heart of the one I am trying to find. In order to follow you, I need to be able to trust you. Lead me on a path and journey where the trust between us develops, grows stronger and more sure.

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Dearest one, I have no desire to remain a clump of roots below ground hidden in the dark. I want to discover my meaning and purpose for being here on earth. I want to be able to see the light above the soil and the colours in the world. I want to delight in seeing my leaves unfurl and the buds of the flowers appear.

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Help me to bring forth my colour and beauty when the time is right. Help me to trust you as I push up through the dark soil and rocks and weeds, that there is new life above ground, if I but keep going and trusting in that promise.

 

Thank you,

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Amen.