The Christian life often feels like a winding path, drawing us close to God at times and leaving us feeling distant at others. Just as walking a labyrinth brings you near the center and then far away before finally arriving, our faith journey includes seasons of closeness and times of wandering. Even when God feels far, you may still be moving toward Him, learning and growing in ways you cannot yet see. Trust that the journey, with all its twists and turns, is part of how God shapes you. [35:16]
Psalm 139:7-10 (ESV)
Where shall I go from your Spirit?
Or where shall I flee from your presence?
If I ascend to heaven, you are there!
If I make my bed in Sheol, you are there!
If I take the wings of the morning
and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea,
even there your hand shall lead me,
and your right hand shall hold me.
Reflection: When have you felt most distant from God, and how might you look for signs that He is still guiding you, even in those seasons?
Some of the most profound spiritual growth and creativity come from our lowest points, when we feel broken or lost. In these moments, God brings healing and transformation, using our pain as fertile ground for new life. Rather than hiding your struggles, consider how God might be working through them to bring about something beautiful, both in you and through you. [24:53]
2 Corinthians 12:9-10 (ESV)
But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.
Reflection: What is one area of pain or struggle in your life that you can invite God to use for healing or growth today?
Spiritual growth is not a one-time event but a daily practice, much like tying your shoes every day. The habits and disciplines that help us heal and grow must be repeated, even when they feel mundane or when we fail and have to start again. The key is not perfection, but persistence—trying again and again, trusting that God is at work in the repetition. [40:24]
Galatians 6:9 (ESV)
And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.
Reflection: What is one spiritual practice or habit you can recommit to today, even if you’ve struggled to keep it in the past?
True Christian community is built when we humbly share our struggles and failures, not just our successes. When we admit our messiness to one another, we create a safe space where others can do the same, and together we experience God’s grace. Jesus Himself modeled ultimate humility, and we are called to follow His example by being honest about our need for God and for each other. [54:42]
Philippians 2:5-8 (ESV)
Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.
Reflection: Who is someone you can be more honest and vulnerable with this week, sharing not just your strengths but your struggles?
Our identity is not defined by our failures or the messiness of our lives, but by the fact that we are children of God. God not only works in us despite our mess, but often uses it as the very means to reach and bless others. As you go about your week, remember that your story—including the hard parts—can be a testimony to God’s love and grace. [01:16:19]
Romans 8:28 (ESV)
And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.
Reflection: How might God be inviting you to see your own “mess” as a way He can work through you to encourage or help someone else today?
Today, we gathered as a community—some in person, some online—united by our shared need for God’s presence, especially in seasons of sickness, struggle, and uncertainty. We began by acknowledging the reality that the Christian journey is not a straight line of constant progress or unbroken joy. Instead, it is marked by high highs and low lows, moments of closeness to God and times when He feels distant. Mary’s song, born out of a season of pain, reminded us that some of the deepest spiritual growth and most authentic worship can emerge from our lowest points.
Reflecting on the ancient practice of walking a labyrinth, I shared how this physical act mirrors our spiritual lives. The labyrinth is not a maze with dead ends, but a single winding path that brings us near the center, then far away, and back again. This journey can feel confusing and even discouraging, especially when we find ourselves at the outer edges, seemingly far from God. Yet, just as the labyrinth’s path inevitably leads to the center, so too does our journey with God—even when we feel most distant, we may be closer to breakthrough than we realize.
We explored how spiritual practices, like the 12 steps, are not about achieving perfection or shaming ourselves into change. Instead, they are about honest, repeated attempts to grow, heal, and surrender. The process is ongoing—like tying your shoes every day, not just once. True transformation often begins when we recognize the pain we’ve caused others or ourselves, and when we allow God’s grace to meet us in our mess.
Sharing our stories—our struggles and our healing—is not about boasting or pretending to have it all together. It’s about humility and solidarity. When we are honest about our brokenness, we create space for others to be honest too. This is the heart of Christian community: not a gathering of perfect people, but a fellowship of those being transformed by Christ’s humility and love. Jesus, who humbled Himself even to death on a cross, shows us that God’s power is made perfect in weakness. Our mess does not define us; we are defined by God’s love and our identity as His children.
Philippians 2:5-11 (ESV) — Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
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