Stepping Up

Is God leading you on a path – through a dark valley, over a mountain, or across a desert? Or do you feel stuck in the grassy plains that stretch from one horizon to the other, hopeless of change? Do you want to make progress as you go from here to there? Do you want to consistently take the high road in your circumstances instead of the tempting low road?
God is inviting us to go up, to draw our souls closer to Him through a spiritual pilgrimage. When we let Him lead, we never stay in the same place. He wants to take us to the next level, which is always out of our comfort of sameness. God wants us to make a daily practice of “going up” with Him.  The process of how we go there is part of getting there.
I’m beginning a journey through the Psalms of Ascent through Beth Moore’s Bible study Stepping Up, and over the next few weeks as I join a small group of beautiful ladies, I hope to summarize the words that the Spirit impresses on my heart.   Psalms 120-134 were sung by the Israelites during the Pilgrimage Feasts, so this part of Scripture will be the Biblical focus of my upward trek the next six weeks. 
I often lament that my emotions interfere with my walk.  But Beth Moore asks "What if those very emotions become avenues of worship rather than distraction?"  When your feelings need Biblical expression – overwhelming praise and gratitude or oppressing sorrow, fear or anger – the Psalms help us express them to God and turn our emotions into worship – and not just the happy thankful feelings but the not-so-pretty feelings too.  The Psalms show how we can bare our souls to integrate all our emotions into our relationship with Him. It's not like we can hide them from Him anyway since He knows us more intimately than we could ever know ourselves.
Beth Moore says that God has goals for us and a private agenda for each of us, but we can count on them being based on the following truths:
·         God desires to dramatically change our outlook on daily life.

·         God wants to raise us to a higher plain of worship and service.

·         God wills to usher us to the next step in our personal journeys with Him even if we have to press through the thickest forest to get it. (page 12)
My deepest desire at this time of my life is to interpret my circumstances, situations, and relationships through His eyes, and then match my steps with the path and rhythm of His. I eagerly anticipate learning how my emotions can be a source that evokes praise and worship to my Almighty God and draws me closer to Him.  Time to take the first step...

6 comments:

  1. I would love to dedicate time to just one of these bible study series.. I would very much like to deepen my faith. Enjoy the experience and I would love to hear your sharing.

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  2. This sounds like a great book.......

    I feel like I am definitely on a pilgrimage right now....trecking through the wilderness with my Savior. Thanks for sharing.

    Blessings,
    Tammy

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  3. Thanks, I really needed these penned thoughts of yours.

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  4. Oh, I have that study on my shelf, but I haven't done it yet. I can't wait to hear how it goes for you.

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  5. Oh Gosh Yes Yes Yes!!! Thank you for the review Paula. Excellent. Blessings and hugs to you.

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  6. Oh this is so amazing that you would post this this week. I can't remember whose blog it might have been your? Someone asked us to post about God's speaking to us through His word I forget just how it was worded kinda like an Aha moment. I have several God's word to me moments over the past 20 years but one in particular has STUCK and I've never forgotten it. It was at a Beth Moore event at RBA Center in Raleigh, NC. She taught from the Steps of Ascension in the Psalms. I wasn't even supposed to be there. A friend called me at the last minute and invited me to go free of charge. The Word God gave me was not only for then but for the next 3 or 4 years to help me cut pull up the anchor (which had been a good place for awhile but over the years it was apparent that I'd learned what I came to learn and it was time to pull up the anchor and move forward). I wish I had time to talk about that whole weekend. But, I won't. Thanks I will have to get this book. God bless you.

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