It would do us well to realize and acknowledge that the enemy has stolen things in our lives. Things the Lord did not necessarily want stolen from us. We can’t always lean on the providence of God when we have free-will. Both are true and both are in operation at all times. It’s quite a mystery we, as humans, do not understand.

The “if it’s Gods will” is often a false pardon of a potential flaw we must be willing to own fully.

If we do not we likely offer many excuses for our need to learn and often our need to face things within us that need to change.

“He orders my steps” is true yet often our feet go where we want them to and the Lord didn’t order it one single bit. But it satisfies our “always right, little god” mentality and so we disconnect from the thing Jesus was trying to teach us. We deflect the true problem and ignore the facing of it entirely.

I can’t see a pattern in my life that I am unwilling to take a long and hard look at with the Lord.

I have found, often, my cry must be willing to utter, look within my heart and see if there be any wicked way in me.

Sometimes it’s not wickedness in the way we know it but in a way that is just unhealthy and dysfunctional.

We see this so much in a healing journey. But I had to first see it in myself.

Pain that crushes will squeeze out unbecoming mannerisms, actions, reactions, and hidden attitudes that God wants to change in us. He will also squeeze out false self images, insecurities, co-dependence, fears, and so on. This is always for our good and freedom.

I am finding that facing all that Christ shows me and then taking full responsibility for it is a deep healing.

It’s an unveiling of the heart before the Lord where there are no hidden topics left untouched and no religious piety covering that which is anti-Christ.

I would encourage you to have the courage to let Christ sift you fully.