The Journey of WOW

I remember reading about many of the saints of old and seeing the depths of their walk with God. I wondered what it would take to develop that kind of walk with God today. The only thing I knew to do was to pray about it. So I added to my daily prayers, “Lord, I want to know you in a deeper and richer way.”

I wondered what would happen. I just knew that after I had prayed that prayer for a while, the miracle would happen and God would supernaturally pour out his Spirit upon me and I would be WOWED! I knew that there would be a new fire in my heart and a greater power in my life.

Day passed into day. Week passed into week. Before I realized it, a year had gone by and nothing had happened. Perhaps I was not praying the prayer right. Maybe there was something more I needed to do. Fasting! Yes, that was what I needed to add to this prayer. I began to fast weekly, asking God for a deeper and richer walk with him.

Time passed and still no miracle, no great moment of lightning and godly power. What was it going to take? I was sincere. I was committed. Was there something more that I needed to do?

It so happened that I was playing for our church basketball team. One game as I was watching from the sidelines the referee made a wrong call against our team. That’s all right, the referee is only human. He will make mistakes. Then he made another wrong call against us. No problem. I was then sent into the game. A few moments later, he made a bad call against me. Was that my temperature going up? Then it happened again. I could feel my temper rising. I knew that I needed to be removed from the game before I said something… well…ungodly.

The next day as I entered my prayer time, I thought back to the game. I was sure that I had matured in my walk with the Lord where a bad call in a game that was played for fun would not affect me. What was going on?

“Lord,” I prayed, “I don’t understand. I was certain that this would not happen to me. What is going on?”

Then he spoke in that still, small voice, “You want to know me in a deeper and richer way. This is the way that will happen.”

“I don’t understand. What do you mean?”

“Mike, there is so much of you in you that there is not much more room for me. There are things you need to see about yourself. There is so much of that self you must die to, let go of.”

It occurred to me that I wanted to know God in a deeper and richer way for selfish reasons. I was so focused on me and what I wanted that I was missing what God was trying to say and do. This time of prayer and fasting was about ME not about God. With this awakening, God could begin to work in my heart and spirit to bring about the changes that would mature me, mold me into the image of the One I claimed to be following—Jesus.

Our journey in this life is about God working in our lives removing the deep seated self focus that is there. It is very difficult to see God when we only look at ourselves. How often are we wondering what God is doing, or where is God at? Is it because we are so wrapped up in us that we miss him? Then when God does answer our prayer, it is not what we expected, not what we wanted. If we are not careful anger, frustration and bitterness can arise in us rather than thankfulness and wonder for the Creator of all.

This revelation about me opened new horizons in my relationship with God. I began to see God in a deeper and richer way. The more I saw of God the less I understood him. The more I glimpsed of his character and love, the less I could grasp him. God is higher and greater than anyone can ever understand. We are not called to understand him. We are called to believe in him, trust him, let him change us and follow where he leads. Faith is not about understanding. Faith is about putting our hands into God’s and letting him walk us through the journey of our lives, knowing that whatever mountain we climb or valley we walk, he is there with us providing just what we need right when we need it.

The power of the deeper richer walk comes as we express our trust in God through the journey of life.