"So I say to my soul, “Don’t be discouraged. Don’t be disturbed. For I know my God will break through for me.” Then I’ll have plenty of reasons to praise him all over again. Yes, he is my saving grace!”
Psalms 42:11 TPT
I recently had another horse experience that ended with me feeling vulnerable and discouraged. It’s crazy how “horse experiences” can expose areas in my heart that need to be strengthened.
My coaching session started in the round pen. We started with repeating familiar skills and then we advanced into a new challenge.
The new challenge was cantering inside the round pen. Previously, I had cantered only in a straight line in an open field.
The “new challenge” attempts were a fiasco! Although in my mind, i could clearly understand my husband’s coaching instructions, i could not coordinate my body to do them. No matter how hard I tried to engage my core, keep my body in position and my hands soft, I simply could not do it all at the same time. I nearly fell off the horse two times. It was awful. I could not maintain balance nor stay in rhythm with the horse. My horse was running in circles and I was flopping around aimlessly!
I was embarrassed, discouraged and frustrated. My emotions led to defeating thoughts…finally the dam burst and tears flowed down my face. I got off my horse and proceeded toward the barn.
When Bart realized I was retreating, he commented in a tender but honest tone,
“Kim, this is not going to be easy. It takes hard work. You gave up too easily”.
The words stung in a refining way. I suddenly sensed the Holy Spirit showing me my need to embrace vulnerability and trust the process.
Would I rather quit than look foolish?
That evening during my sleep, God gave me a dream. The following morning when I settled into my quiet time, He gave me full interpretation of my dream and brought a song into my path that I had never heard before. The dream and song revealed God’s heart in such a intimate way. I felt immense joy and deep connection with the Lord. My soul was refreshed. My God broke through for me. I knew He would not do my work for me, but He would strengthen my mind, body and spirit. He would bring me into deep unity with Him.
Our life experiences are intended to bring us into encounters with the Lord. When we open our heart to Him, the Lord exposes and deals with our “self life”. He doesn’t merely expose the shadowy places, He invites us into a deeper union with Him.
Have you had a recent encounter
that brought you into deeper intimacy?
Deeper Dive:
Soak in His presence.