In Chapter 3 (“A Desperate Moment”) of AHA, Kyle Idleman discusses the subject of a rude awakening. He notes that one thing is certain about a rude awakening- it’s highly effective. You are sound asleep one moment and wide awake the next. Similarly, Pastor Idleman adds, the challenges and hardships of life also have a way of getting our attention: “Sometimes the only thing that will wake us up is a rude awakening.”
The author asserts that God often uses such desperate moments to wake us up. It takes things falling apart to finally open our eyes. We arrive at a desperate moment in one of two ways:
1. Difficult circumstances
2. Difficult consequences.
Pastor Idleman states that if we are honest with ourselves, in hindsight we would realize that our AHA moments most often have come in the midst of great adversity. Kyle cites an experiment done by psychologist Jonathan Haidt. He handed participants a hypothetical summary of a girl’s life. “Jillian” would be born with learning disabilities, lose her home and file for bankruptcy during an economic downturn, etc. Participants then had five minutes to edit her story, eliminating whatever they wanted from Jillian’s life. The temptation, of course, is to eliminate the difficulties.
But is that really what is best? As Pastor Idleman points out, the number one contributor to spiritual growth is difficult circumstances!
Today’s question: At this point in your desert, transitional journey, how would you describe your spiritual growth? Please share.
Coming Tuesday: the new Short Meditation, “Just be held”
Tomorrow’s blog: “Our defining moment”
