Waking Up
Just as surely as we see signs when the seasons change, so God gives us signs of new awakenings within us as well. The signs are limitless, but some common factors may offer clues for discerning those awakenings.
A sense of wondering or questioning of faith
A confusion or discomfort about a changing attitude or circumstance that leaves you feeling out of synch
A feeling of being stuck, having hit an obstacle or blockage in your life
A sense that your traditional practices of knowing God are no longer “working” for you.
A shift in your understanding of God.
A desire to grow deeper in knowing God or a desire for a richer, truer life of prayer
A loss, great or small, that stays with you and asks you pay attention
An encounter with the Divine that has opened up new insights or a sense of calling.
A transition in any area of life (a move, job change, empty nest, divorce, death)
These and dozens of other examples give clues that God is present and perhaps inviting you into a new discovery. Such seasons of change are rarely comfortable. Dismantling, rearranging, renovating, demolishing, constructing, are all signs of a creative process. But be assured, no matter how uncomfortable or disorienting, the process, in the hands of a loving God we have reason to hope.
What are your areas of awakening? How are you responding to them? Who are the people who support you in the waking up process? What are the questions that are raised within you? Looking at the image above, how does it represent the waking up process? What other image would better express your awakening?
