You have to accept that when you embark upon any kind of study of God’s Word, you’re going to see some things about yourself that you’d rather not. I’m in that place once again.
It started innocently enough. I picked up a Bible study guide that looked kind of interesting and I thought I might as well be productive by working my way through it when I had a moment here and there. Good plan, right? Ha! I should have known God had something up His sleeve. I got halfway down the page reading the introduction – the INTRODUCTION, folks – and I knew the Lord was probably up there with His arms crossed and a satisfied smirk on His face. He had me right where He wanted me.
You know you’re in for it when you read the words, “expect nothing less than a new level of intimacy with God and settle for nothing less”.
Great.
As unspiritual as this sounds, I admit the thought crossed my mind that I didn’t have time for a new level of intimacy with God. I very nearly closed the book and put it back on the shelf at that point. But there was a challenge in those words. And I’ve never been one to walk away from a challenge.
I continued to read and looked up a reference in Psalm 84:5-7. The very first line says, “Happy are the people whose hearts are set on pilgrimage”. Oh dear. The word “pilgrimage” means a journey – usually a long one – undertaken as a quest for a dedicated purpose. In this case, the dedicated purpose is a new level of intimacy with God.
Now I’m hooked.
I am already seeing a glimpse of what God is trying to do:
1. Dramatically change my outlook on daily life.
2. Take me to a higher place of worship and service to Him.
3. Make this a personal journey with Him, even if I have to press through valleys and deserts and forests to get to the destination.
If I am completely transparent before my Father, allowing Him access to every corner of my heart, He will show me how to be the woman He always meant for me to be. And I will not settle for the tragedy of a stagnant, mediocre relationship with Him.
Inside the Writer 