I wanted to repost something I wrote over three years ago because the truths of it have come back around for me presently. Does that ever happen to you? Do you write something in a journal or on a sticky note and find it years later and it transports you back to the very moment in time when you wrote it?

I wrote it in a season where I was hitting rock bottom with an incredibly challenging situation one of my children was going through. I’d been praying for answers for 10 years and it seemed like, in spite of the prayers, things were getting worse.

Out of that season came a much deeper understanding of how God truly does work all things together in our lives. It’s not just a catchy cliche or some outdated Scripture verse. It’s a Truth that we all have to face and decide if we really believe it or not.

I don’t know what challenge you might be facing right now, but I pray this can jump start you heart again and ignite you with Hope that your heart truly can be healed…even of the deepest pains that may be so neatly tucked away, but certainly not forgotten.

Digging Deep to Go Up

Originally published January 16, 2015

My son loves to dig in the dirt.

As a matter of fact, so did my daughters.

What is the fascination with thinking a hole in the ground? Maybe it’s discovering buried treasures. Maybe it’s the anticipation and mystery of not knowing what you are going to find…so you continue to dig a little deeper and a little deeper to see what lies beneath the next shovel-full of dirt.

While digging a hole in the dirt may evoke childlike curiosity and all of us, digging deep into our own hearts, motivations, and past or present challenges doesn’t seem to bring the same fascination and wonder.  Rather mining our own hearts tends to create just the opposite–anxiety, fear, worry, shame.  Because of fear, we choose to continue denying reality.

Most likely others can see what is buried deep beneath the surface that we think we are so clever in hiding. For “out of the mouth come the thoughts and intents of the heart.” We think we have covered up our anger, stress, resentment, bitterness, jealousy, or weariness. But the very words we speak daily betray us.

It’s easy to believe the lie that if it’s “Out of sight, it’s out of mind.” But that’s the biggest load of crap I’ve ever heard when it comes to our hearts, but one I succumbed to for years out of ignorance and then sheer terror to face what was inside of me.

Out of sight doesn’t mean it isn’t in us and it also doesn’t keep it from surfacing and coming out of us.

What’s inside of us will always come out of us…eventually.

It always does.

Let’s face it.  We all have probably buried fear, worry, failure, trauma, and shame.  And it’s true – if we make the choice to “dig deep” and allow the Spirit of God to shine his loving Light on areas of pain, wounding, or fear what we might see is “dirt,” “rocks,” and even a few “grubs.”  But He can handle our “dirt.”  He actually already did, 2000 years ago.  He put all of our “dirt” on His son, Jesus.  Jesus took it ALL so that we wouldn’t have to carry it.  When he declared “It is finished,”  He meant it.  We are the ones who choose to stay stuck in it when everything has been finished on our behalf to be set free from it!  That is the “Good News!”

I think what my kids love most about digging in the dirt is the anticipation of finding buried treasure.

What if you and I changed our perspective to that of our children?

What if, instead of fearing the process of “digging deep” with the Lord we embraced it knowing that buried treasure awaits us?

Would it be worth the process to you if you discovered a part of your true nature and character that you didn’t know you possessed?

What if you discovered your calling and purpose in life?

What if you found courage, strength, and wisdom in the process of digging?

Would it be worth it to you then to face momentarily things that you have convinced yourself that you have hidden so well?

As you walk through your day today, take a risk…

…and pick up your shovel.

Then allow the Holy Spirit to start digging. Because…

Whatever God reveals, He ALWAYS intends to heal.

The question is, “Will you trust Him?”  He waits for us to pick up the shovel.  We always have a choice.  Some of us have had awful things happen.  But none of us are victims of our past or present and how we choose to show up in those truly determines our future.

We each get to choose how the rest of the story is written.

Friend, it’s time to move forward in your life. It’s time to stop allowing the past to keep you stuck in the past. We live from past-present when God wants us to live from present-future. The only way to live like that and see true transformation in your life is to let him heal your past. I can tell you from experience that He is so kind. It is for your freedom that Jesus died. He wanted you free badly enough that He gave His life to secure it. He is trustworthy. Nothing is too big or impossible for Him.

My favorite hero in the Bible, Joseph, went downward (many times and very literally in a pit and in a dungeon twice) before he had the character to sustain the upward-life God had always planned for him. Because you see…that’s what our trials, struggles, and wilderness seasons are working out in…character.

I pray today will mark a day in your life that you begin to dig deep to go upward. Upward in your relationship with Jesus, upward in your ability to withstand trials, upward in your calling and purpose in life, upward in your ability to be patient and loving to your family, and upward in your opportunities.

I’m ok with digging “down” because I know Who will meet me there at every slug, rock, or bug that I face – Jesus, the Prince of Peace, Holy Spirit my ever-present Counselor (who I don’t have to pay a dime for and is so wise!), and God my Father, who protects my hears and provides every single thing I need for life and godliness.

So friend, instead of just plunging straight into upwards and onwards, let’s grab first our shovels and go “downwards and onwards” so that then we truly CAN go upwards in life.