Your Obstacles are Not In Your Way
How we perceive ourselves–and our place in the world–colors our every moment. Do we feel alone or in God’s company? Do we feel loved or forgotten?
Every challenge we face, and every wound we suffer is filtered through how we perceive ourselves, God, and our reality. When we make a mistake, do we rejoice, for we see it as an opportunity for growth? Do we believe they will be mended when our hearts are broken–from loss and pain?
Do we think that, ultimately, we are going to be healed and okay?
In this Encounter, you will participate in a conversation in which the Holy Spirit invites you to listen to His voice and see with His eyes. He will teach us about ourselves and Him and help us surrender to His wisdom.
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We love You, Lord. We surrender to You. We crave your wisdom and your presence.
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So, to begin, retreat to a quiet place where you can be undisturbed and alone. Get comfortable and empty your hands. Then breathe deeply for a few minutes with your eyes closed and your face and body relaxed.
As you breathe, consecrate this time to God, asking Him to help you enjoy His presence now.
Father, Jesus, Holy Spirit, come. Come into this place. Guide me deeper into your heart. Help me see and experience You. I give you my mind, imagination, ideas, worries, pain, and fear. (Take as much time as you need to name everything you are surrendering to Him.) I give You my expectations for this time with You and ask You to help me relax into your love.
Also, contemplate this verse, Psalms 18:19 (CEB):
He brought me out to wide-open spaces; he pulled me out safe because he is pleased with me.
Write in your journal the conversation God is having with you about this verse. Or, draw a picture that represents the exchange between the two of you.
Then, keeping going…..
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Stretch out now. You are in an expensive place. What limits your inhabiting this place? Do you see what makes this space feel crowded–what crowds it?
In your journal, write and/or draw what you see.
Let Me show you the space you see yourself in. Let Me show you the walls and the obstacles. (I move walls. I break through barriers). Close your eyes. I will help your heart see.
Close your eyes and surrender to God your imagination–your thoughts and emotions. Trust that He will give you a visual in your mind, guiding and helping you.
What do you see? Is it different from what you expected to see?
Tell God about what you see, perhaps writing out your conversation with Him in your journal.
Now look again. Let Me show you what you see when you live in a place of boundaries and limits because you put guardrails around Me. How much smaller is this place? How do you feel in it compared to the other, more expansive, limitless place I first showed you?
Look around again. See with the eyes of my Spirit within you. Do you see Me here in this space? Do you see Me with you? What else do you see?
How does your being aware of Me here with you affect how you see your life (the obstacles, the problems, the challenges)?
Rather than Me simply removing obstacles/barriers/walls in your life (for I can do that instantaneously), stay in the space with Me. Focus on Me. Be with Me.
Let the obstacles be the obstacles.
Let the barriers be the barriers.
Let the walls be the walls.
Look at Me.
Be with Me.
Love Me.
I am here.
I am with you.
I am the Warrior.
I am the Father.
I am the Compass.
I am the Rock.
I am the Deliverer.
I am the Song.
Nothing holds Me back.
Nothing destroys my love.
Nothing is an obstacle to my power.
See Me with you–in the room.
Here, with Me, is wisdom.
Follow it.
Trust it.
Heed it.
Let it catch you.
Let it guide you.
I love you.
See with my eyes now.
Watch Me and what I am doing–that I want to confront the obstacles together.
Yes, together–in my love– is the expansive place.
Stay here.
Let us be here together.
Continuing writing out of your conversation–or draw a picture of what He has been showing you.
Amen.
