Fault Lines

Published by christi on April 21, 2022

“Sometimes fault lines can only be identified and mapped after an earthquake.”  —40 Days of Decrease, Alicia Britt Chole

That’s why failure is such an important thing to not be protected from. (She says from her ivory tower…)

We often ask God to bless our event, activity, or adventure, expecting that His blessing means smiles and nice weather. Many times, He is after giving us a bigger, better blessing that can only come through difficulty, failure or at least challenge.

I am one of those people who figure I am either doing it all right or all wrong. I am either blissfully unaware of my screw-ups, or I am completely buried in shame and gloom by my failures. (My mother always hoped I could find the “happy medium.” Sorry, Mom, that’s not how I’m wired.) So when I am confronted with something I have done that has hurt another person, especially one in my care, I am crushed beneath the weight of their pain, and the shame of having been a cause of it.

It often takes a bit before I am able to ask:  Okay, God. What are You after in this?

Often it is an old wound that needs His deep healing. Other times it is the revelation of a weakness or character flaw that He wants to address with my cooperation. With His infinite wisdom and care, it is often those things and things in other children of His, at the same time. (I am so glad He’s got this all figured out!)

I am currently mapping some new fault lines, and because of this failure, I fear being dismissed from a ministry that is dear to me. It has happened before…painfully…and God has always used it for good in me:  growth, transformation, a more complete understanding of my place, or even just that He can be trusted to be enough to get me through the rough places.

It never ceases to be painful and scary going through the process, but the One I follow has been in ALL the scary places and has already felt and carried the pain…because of His great love. I am so grateful, and I am still

Following Jesus every day in the everyday,

Christi

P.S. So glad He is resurrected!