SECRET PLACES & (UN)LEVEL GROUND

I took this picture on a hike with my husband a few weeks ago. Isn't it a beautiful place? We stumbled across it in delight with no one else around. It was just us--hidden in the forest-- taking in the sound of the waters rushing over the rocks, the moist, crisp air and the sunlight peeking and dancing through the trees. Do you love the mystery and beauty of secret places too?

Quiet places are often where I feel a close connect to God's presence and his voice AND find a huge bridge over life to the depths of His peace. ​

Earlier this week while I was in another quiet space actually peeking at this picture again I heard God say to me:
your paths are meant to be on level ground.

I've been tossing that around all week trying to get my head around it. So time and again I've sat mesmerized by this picture and thinking about the mystery in both this place and in that statement. Paths on level ground, God?  REALLY?

Life can seem anything but level. I am kind of thinking I heard you wrong.

It can seem EXACTLY like this picture. Slippery rocks, some uphill climbs, damned up areas with debris, fast currents swirling or perhaps even a treacherous drop you want to hold onto anything you can to avoid.

Circumstances or people and decisions can catch us off guard and knock us on our keister.  Debris can accumulate inside all of us and people be unwilling to take the time to go beneath the surface of an issue to clear out everything that's cluttered up and damned the way between us. And let's face it.. sometimes God is calling us to walk out into the deep waters in faith and there appears to be ANYTHING but level ground under there!

So rather confused, I looked it up to see if I misheard something.

YUP.  Level paths, firm ground, sure footings.

The bible is full of references that that is where God makes us walk. It's not a new thought from God.  They aren't even verses that are new to me, but it was a new thought for my spirit and I wanted to understand it more. I am all in for walking securely on level ground and not getting thrown off balance! 

One little problem.

In honesty I don't know about you but I thought being a Christian was MEANT to be difficult: pick up your cross, deny yourself  and keep going little warrior is the battle cry.  That isn't really a smooth sailing, sure footings kind of talk- is it??

Truthfully very often I have accepted and stayed in what seemed like uphill battles or slipping down a landslide as God's will. If it is tough and sacrificial then it must be Godly, right?  Doesn't that sound biblical? What about you?

So check out this:

"Hurry with your answer, God!
I'm nearly at the end of my rope.
Don't turn away; don't ignore me!
That would be certain death.
If you wake me each morning
with the sound of your loving voice,
I'll go to sleep trusting in you.
Point out the road that I must travel;
I'm all ears, all eyes before you.
Save me from my enemies, God-
You are my only hope!
Teach me how to live.
Lead me by your blessed spirit-
Into CLEARED and LEVEL land."
Psalm 143:7-10

I am going to be real here... I let God make a HUGE decision for me recently. One I could NEVER have made on my own. I wrote about it on my last blog post "The Next Right Step".

You see, I let God lead me out of a situation and into the waters of faith for whatever length of time he sets and to whatever destination he leads. HE led me by HIS blessed spirit into a level land. It's uncertain but its smooth. And the peace that came FROM that rough decision was immense. It made me think of this verse:

"I will go before you and make the rough places smooth" Isaiah 45:2

He made this rough space of letting go and journeying into something new smooth. YES...It was hard. But YES...it was smooth. You see HE did it. He went before me.

I don't know where you find yourself today, but I am thinking a lot about walking on level ground. So I am saving the best verses for you to read and discover for yourself! Will you read Psalm 91:1-16??  See what you discover about walking on level ground.

If you have any thoughts I would LOVE to hear them!!!

There are enough places and spaces that seem to rise up and try to knock us out of the game. So let's listen in and figure out the firm steps together.

Here is what I've personally learned about WHERE  level ground is found and WHERE to land your footsteps:

1) Level ground is found in the mystery of a secret place and space with God because that's where we take secure steps in letting God be the bridge over the situation. 

YUP. JUST like in the picture  that mesmerized me from my hike--the bridge is ABOVE IT ALL.

The bridge OVER the treacherous path and rushing water is found when we are ABIDING with God. It is found where we are quiet before him. 

It seems backwards. In a rough situation it can seem like it is time we don't have to sit still with God. BUT we need to take ourself out of the uphill climb and come sit with him, dangle our feet over the bridge and listen in or let him redirect us OVER the situation.

He's the bridge where we can be above what is going on long enough to get a better picture. He's our peace, our comfort, our hope. His vision is BEYOND our circumstance and His perspective and wisdom and authority are OVER that circumstance.

We can walk on the bridge of his words and the safeness of his love.  This secret place is the space where he makes a bridge over our situations to the depths of his peace.

2) Level Ground is found in the mystery of a secret place and space with God because that's where we find the secure and level steps of  OBEDIENCE to God and His power. 

Are we already walking out before we've asked for steps? That ground is shaky. We so need to ask HIM FIRST. Peter ASKED the Lord to tell him to walk into the water before he started walking. But he didn't ask the Lord before he sliced off the ear of the guard. Secure footings are found when we are willing to stop strategizing, stop figuring it out, stop trying to fix it and be obedient to whatever God leads. That's the step to LEVEL ground!

It's God's truth and loving power over our life. It's God's truth and loving power over our mind. It's God's truth and loving power over our identity.

When we give authority and power to others or to lies.. that's where we hit the slippery slopes! So let's both listen in and let him speak truth and healing and CLAIM his authority over OUR life and the things on our path.

It doesn't mean we can't see the waves, feel the cold water, step close to snakes or even hear the roar of a lion! But it does mean we will know how to handle it the RIGHT WAY and NOT let it knock us off our feet! 

We were meant to bold,courageous and daring dreamers who change this world! Let's do it!

That being said, I'm going to go back to a quiet place again now. I'm going to listen in again about how God wants me to blog and step out in faith on level places to journey out as a writer, blogger and speaker. I'm asking for level footings and sure steps. 

I'm going to end where I started. Back in a secret place.

"Quiet places are often where I feel a close connect to God's presence and his voice AND find a huge bridge over life to the depths of His peace."  

Keep walking and take the LEVEL footings. When all else fails.. just jump on his back and let him piggyback you RIGHT OVER the waves. 

If I can listen in and pray for you or help your hear God's voice more clearly in your situation please reach out to me on the contact on my support/ coaching page.

Love you muchly and can't wait to hear from some of you again!

Be blessed dear friend. You are loved, you matter and his plans for you are GOOD.  
With so much love, Cath