Secrets of the Secret Place Chapter 11: The Secret of Violence

Whenever I get to a particularly rough or apathetic patch with the Lord, my prayers are usually occupied by one resounding phrase: “Ugh, why.”

In those moments (or in any moment really), it’s so easy to look to someone else’s walk with God and wonder why I don’t have the same excitement, zeal, gifts, maturity, or favor that they have. And what I typically need at the time is what I want the least: a swift kick in the pants. A reality check that lifts me out of the pit of self pity I all-too-often occupy.

I have the power to choose more of God. I have the power to choose God more.

Oddly enough, “violence” looks a lot like discipline. Our warped, earthly perspective often confuses outgoing personalities with spiritual violence. We see passionate worshippers and assume they always live with that Spirit-filled intensity, but the kind of violence God values can look a lot more like 5 am marathon prayer, a day of fasting, or consistent quiet time when you least feel like it.
 
“He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him” - Hebrews 11:6

The solution to a spiritual rut may be as simple as saying yes to God. The three disciples that were singled out from the 12 to be Jesus’ most trusted companions were not selected because of their personalities or gifting; they found favor with Christ because they favored Him.

Author | Brittany Futch