“What exactly is the Wall experience, and does everyone go through it? It is, of course, difficult to explain the Wall precisely since God is eminently personalized at stage 4. This experience is perhaps the most poignant example of mystery in the whole journey of faith. There is a deep sense of God at work in us in the Wall experience, and, at the same time, we are at a loss to describe it… Our experience of God at the Wall takes on different nuances based on our personal needs for healing and renewal. Thus the Wall differs for everyone, Fundamentally, it has to do with slowly breaking through the barriers we have built between our will and a newer awareness of God in our lives. We have spent our own energy; we have come to the end of our ropes. We are ready to learn about freedom—the liberty of living without grasping. In a more profound sense than ever before, we have to “let God be God,” and let God direct our lives. At the same time that we surrender our wills to be healed spiritually, we simultaneously begin to be healed psychologically…The healing itself is mysterious and profound, for it is the soul that is healed.” – Hagberg & Guelich Does the Wall feel like a familiar place, to you (If not, what are you enjoying about the part of the journey you are on with God!)? What does it feel like to hear that this is a very common experience in the life of faith? And that it looks different for every person journeying with God? Your “Wall” may be precipitated by a personal crisis or the questions of a faith crisis. You may find yourself suddenly pulling up short, wondering why you can’t seem to keep moving “forward” in your relationship with God and life of faith. What do you do *then*? If you have no context for this part of a life of faith, you may feel as if all is lost, or return to another stage that feels more like “faith”. But if we stay here? The possibilities in the healing process and what’s beyond them…? If we're here, can we trust that it's worth staying and pressing in?

Posted by Jamie Bonilla at 2022-10-04 14:16:26 UTC