THIS is why you were created!! The whole reason!! God wanted His creation to choose to hang out with Him. He created you for relationship, but will never force you into one. Who wants that? Do any of us want to hang out with people who are forced to and not choosing to? Nope!
In the stripping away of everything I held dear, I found myself in a literal wilderness season in the literal wilderness where my only companion was quite often just Jesus and the wildlife. We would spend all day together talking, writing, exploring, and all night together alone in a cold tent.
It was precious time spent with the One who loves me more than anyone else ever could.
He wiped a lot of tears and took me to a lot of wonderful places and held me in many of the rock bottoms. The chasms that would make me stronger as I climbed out of them. Or in keeping with the Navy SEAL correlation, Surf Torture.
Surf Torture Moments Navy SEALs link arms and lie in freezing surf for hours during BUD/S—testing their limits and building unity. In your wilderness, Jesus is the one locking arms with you in the freezing waves. You are not alone in your “surf torture.” You are being strengthened in communion.
In the Restoration Period I am now experiencing (yes, that will come) this is what I miss most. The isolation where He says, “I want you all to myself!” is a gift! It is not a punishment! This is the Lord courting you and wanting you to truly experience His love. You are not alone! You are chosen!
This is what built a deeply entrenched love for my Savior that feels like my heart is connected to His and, when the Restoration Period began to take shape and I was in a place where my heart just LONGED to be with Him, I heard Him say, “I knew you would fall in love with Me if I could just get you alone.”
Has He gotten you alone, yet? Has He stripped away all the idols in your life, yet? It is not a punishment! He is calling you to Him and away from the distractions so that you get a glimpse of what “No Greater Love” really looks like and so you can choose if that is what you want, or if you prefer the World. Choose Him! The World hates you and loves itself! The One who died for you will offer you love and joy like you’ve never experienced. But the stripping away includes removing all idols from your life.
My boss was an idol, so the Lord took my job away.
My spiritual mentor was an idol, so He allowed her to discard me like trash.
My friends were idols so He let them ghost me.
Gonzo was an idol, so the Lord lovingly orchestrated a long time for me to get to say, “goodbye” as he died…the biggest heartbreak I have ever felt!
Even my hair was an idol and the Lord allowed it to be chopped off…it was part of my identity that had to be redefined. Not by what the World saw, but who I am in Christ. (You can read this hilarious story by clicking: “Satan Done Gone and Attacked Mah Herr or ‘You Look Better with a Ponytail’” but then you have to read the restoration story: Revenge of the Herr: God restores that which has been stolen...or you can suck it, satan!)
It all hurt. It all happened so close together. The Stripping Away of not only my home, twice; my possessions, twice; my livelihood, twice, but of the people and pup that held my heart the most and what I thought was my identity.
But being left with nothing meant I turned to the One who is Everything. The One who was waiting for me to notice Him so I would see Him for who He really is and would just absolutely fall in love with Him.
There are no words to describe what this kind of intimacy with your Creator feels like. It’s one of those things you’ll never understand unless you actually experience it. It is wildly beautiful! Dangerously beautiful!
So, child, consider it the highest honor if He has chosen to strip away every idol from you, everything you held dear, so that you would finally see Him. Truly see Him and feel His intense and dangerously wild love for you. You are chosen! Seize the opportunity and choose to embrace the adventure rather than bemoan the pain.
Spend time with Him! As much as you possibly can! You’ll find NOTHING can compare to companionship with the King of Kings…who wants a relationship with you.
Talk to Him about everything! Pour out your thanks, your praise, your complaints, your plans, your wants, your needs, and your love. He’ll never betray your trust!
“Thank You for the broken heart, Lord. I know You will use this for my good and for Your glory. So, what’s next? I trust You, Jesus.”
“Greater Love hath no man than this that a man lay down his life for his friends.” John 15:13
Song: Divine Romance, by Cade Thompson
App: YouVersion Bible App – It will read the Bible to you! No more mind wandering and realizing after 10 minutes you have no idea what you just read.
