As we continue in our Walking with Purpose series, we are reminded that the Christian life is not static. It is a life of movement with God.

At times, we are called to move forward, to step out and take hold of what God has set before us. At other times, the Lord asks us to wait, to trust Him in what we cannot yet see, and to remain steady in Him.

Both are part of our walk with God.

But in all of this, whether we are moving forward or waiting, God is at work in us. He is forming something within us, strengthening us, and preparing us for what He has purposed.

Part of that work is the enlarging of our capacity.

Life is a continual movement, always progressing. The Biblical law of all created life is growth and increase. Consequently, when we are saved, that new creation within us is destined to increase.

Just as a seed contains life and the power of growth within itself, and draws from the earth the nutrients it needs to achieve its full height and fruit, so there is within us the seed of eternal life — an impelling force by which that life continually increases and grows. It is not something we need to manufacture ourselves.

“…for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to His good purpose.” (Philippians 2:13)

When God gives, He does not intend for things to remain the same. Throughout the Word of God, we see that what God gives is meant to grow and increase. In the parable of the talents, the expectation was not to guard the talent, but to multiply it.

In order to keep what God gives us, and to continue growing in both maturity and effectiveness, we must be able to accommodate that growth by enlarging our capacity. This is true not only in our own lives, but also in a church, a family, a business, or anything God has entrusted to us.

Part of enlarging our capacity is being open to God developing and changing our lifestyle and character, conforming us to our destiny in Him. Just like the seed, God Himself will do what is needed, if we surrender to Him, work with Him, and do not look back.

Here are some keys to help us increase our capacity, so that we might fulfill our full potential in God, His purposes in us, and His destiny for us.

Invest Time

Invest unhurried time in prayer and regular time in His Word. Take time to be in communion with God, still in His presence, and to be with Him throughout the day as you turn your attention to Him and open your heart to Him.

Be patient, and continue to exercise faith. Growth does not happen all at once, but little by little as we walk with Him.

The divine inner growth by which the life of God perfects us in Christ is little by little, but it is sure. It is hidden but real, weak but endowed with heavenly power.

Stay Focused

We tend to lose focus easily. Jesus was never distracted, not even by important and good things. He saw desperate needs, yet remained focused on what He was destined to do.

Likewise, we should endeavor, in the midst of a world full of distraction, to keep our focus on Jesus, His Kingdom, and His life within us, reflecting the image of Christ.

Be Thankful

Remember God’s faithfulness to us in the past, especially when we are struggling: “My soul is downcast within me; therefore I will remember You…” (Psalm 42:6)

The people of God were continually told to remember, to reflect on His faithfulness, which gives hope and expectation for the future.

Gratitude rises within us as we consider His kindness, love, and faithfulness. It is a vision of future victory, a heart that sees the goodness of God, not one that is focused on past failures.

Stay Humble and Flexible

Change is constant. In all change and adjustment, we must remain humble and flexible, not for the sake of change itself, but for the sake of the Kingdom and others.

God’s people have always had to navigate change. How we respond makes all the difference.

Change brings both the good and the difficult, the familiar and the unknown. Yet as we remain humble and flexible in the midst of it, our capacity grows.

Remain Faithful

Be faithful to what we have been given.

Our Lord Jesus said that if we are faithful in the small things, more will be entrusted to us. Enlargement and increase come as we are faithful in prayer, in His Word, in gathering together, and in stewarding our time, our finances, and our responsibilities.

As we care diligently for what belongs to others, we position ourselves to be entrusted with more.

Enlarge Us, O God

In every area of our lives:

In our knowledge of You, in our dependence on the Holy Spirit
In our hearts, to receive those who are not like us
In our sphere of influence

Enlarge us in our vision
In our prayer life
In our anointing
In our ability to carry pressure and responsibility
In how we respond to opposition and obstacles
And in our discernment and wisdom

Enlarge us in our capacity for more of You.

This is the life that is being formed in us as we walk with Him.

And as He enlarges us, we begin to see that the life we are being called into is not something we strive to build, but something we yield to.

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As we continue in this Walking with Purpose series, it’s important to recognize that in any journey there are times of waiting. Times to pause, to rest, to listen, and to be sure of where we are going.

This is especially true in our walk with the Lord.

So often in the Kingdom of God, we are asked to do things that feel the opposite of what we would naturally choose. The last are first. A gentle answer turns away wrath. And here, too, we are called to move forward… and yet, to wait.

The Bible calls us to press forward toward the prize, but not in a striving or forcing way. It is as we keep our eyes fixed on Jesus that we move forward. And at times, He calls us to wait.

In the kingdom of God, this can feel upside down. But when we wait on the Lord, it is often the very way He moves us forward, and we may be gaining more ground than we realize.

To wait on the Lord is to have trust in Him. Psalm 37:7 says, “Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for Him.” And earlier in the psalm we read, “Trust in the Lord and do good… Commit your way to the Lord; trust also in Him” (verses 3 and 5).

It is never an easy thing to “wait on the Lord” or to “trust in Him” when we want quick results.

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When We Stop Waiting

When we look at the story of Moses and the Israelite people in Exodus 32, we see that Moses was up on the mountain where God was giving him the Ten Commandments. But the Israelites, who had seen many supernatural signs and wonders, still did not trust God enough to wait. Verse 8 says, “they have turned aside quickly.”

They took things into their own hands and produced an idol.

We see the same thing in Genesis 16, where Abraham took things into his own hands to produce the promised heir. The result was Ishmael, Hagar’s son.

The Bible is full of testimonies of people who were tired of waiting on God. So they did their own thing, but that never works for God’s glory.

How often do we take things into our own hands and do things our own way as we become impatient with waiting on God?

Perhaps we did not get that business breakthrough we expected. So while we have not forsaken God, our eyes have moved from the eternal purposes of God to the temporal. We are now focused on building our business our way.

Or consider the person who senses their time in a place is coming to an end, but instead of seeking the Lord step by step, moves ahead in their own timing and misses what God had prepared. Or those who have been holding onto something the Lord has promised, but as time passes, they grow tired of waiting and quietly lay it aside.

The day-to-day examples are endless.

What It Looks Like to Wait Well

Yet we also see in the Bible those heroes of the faith who waited patiently on God for His way, His direction, and His intervention.

Look at David. Anointed by Samuel to be Israel’s king to succeed Saul, he waited twenty years before he became king. He did not do his own thing. He waited on God and became probably the greatest earthly king of all time.

He might have become king anyway had he taken things into his own hands, but it would have been a very different picture. We might have read: David became king for five years. He did not walk in God’s ways, and so God raised up another king.

Instead, books of the Bible are written about David. His name will live on for all eternity. He became a man after God’s own heart.

Why did he wait on God?

I believe he waited on God because he trusted Him. He trusted who He is. He trusted God’s plan and purposes for him and the nation. He trusted God’s ability, certainly over his own. He trusted God’s timing. He trusted his life completely to the One he served.

As David waited on God for the time when he would be crowned king, he did not wait passively. He gave his attention to all he did. He shepherded his sheep well. He grew in intimacy and skill in worshiping God. He developed his warfare ability and his leadership.

He did not sit passively and grumble at God, saying things like, “You said I would be king. When will that happen?” No, he gave himself fully to what was in front of him, all of this preparing him for his great reign.

We see over and over in Psalms that David speaks of trusting God even in dire circumstances.

How did he accomplish this?

Because his trust was so complete, his waiting was not marked by anxiety or frustration. He waited. He praised God. He waited. He worshiped. He waited. He served and honored Saul. He waited.

He did not lose hope, because he had grown in his trust of God. He was real about his soulish struggles, but always, in his waiting, he chose to trust God and praise Him.

Psalm 28:7 says, “My heart trusted in Him and I am helped.”

David had to make his choices in his generation; we must make similar choices today.

How will we respond?

Do we want to be Christians who live this life eating the crumbs of what God purposes for us, focusing only on this earthly life? Or do we want to be those who are willing to wait with patience and endurance and inherit all God has for us?

Let us take the higher road.

Those who choose to trust God in every aspect of their lives will wait on Him with patience and endurance. God always gives His best to those who wait on the Lord.

So let us wait with eager anticipation, joy, and peace, listening for God’s every word, ready and prepared, patiently trusting the One who gave His all for us, Jesus our King and Lord.

“But those who wait on the Lord
Shall renew their strength;
They shall mount up with wings like eagles,
They shall run and not be weary,
They shall walk and not faint.”
Isaiah 40:31

Let us wait with Him, trusting His timing, His ways, and His heart toward us.

He is faithful.

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This is part of a journey we’ve been walking through in the Walking with Purpose series.

If you’ve missed the earlier parts, they lay the foundation for what we’ve shared here:

God’s Word for This Season — on hearing what the Lord is speaking right now
Little by Little — on how His purposes unfold in the small, steady steps of obedience
Forward is the Way — on moving on from the past and fixing our eyes on Him

Next time, we will continue with the series.

When we look in Scripture, we see that the Lord consistently directs His people forward. Forward into the Promised Land. Forward over the Red Sea and the Jordan River. Forward into battle, and forward to possess the land.

“Why are you crying out to me? Tell the Israelites to move on.”
Exodus 14:15

“You have stayed long enough at this mountain. Break camp and advance…”
Deuteronomy 1:6–7

“Moses my servant is dead. Now then, you and all these people, get ready to cross the Jordan…”
Joshua 1:2

The Lord is so committed to moving His people forward that there are around two hundred verses in the Bible that command or encourage moving forward, looking ahead, or advancing. That’s a reminder roughly every second day! That’s how often we need it.

Interestingly, the only time we see God inviting His people to look back is when He asks them to remember what He has done, how His Hand has guided them and brought them into a place of victory.

There are many times when the Lord instructed Israel to pause and build memorials as reminders of His faithfulness so that future generations would look at those stones, remember how He led them, and give thanks.

“These stones are to be a memorial to the people of Israel forever.”
Joshua 4:7

Those stones were not there so people could dwell on their failures, but so they could remember God’s faithfulness, the battles He fought on their behalf, the miraculous journey He had taken them on, and the times He made a way in the impossible.

This is how they work: we pause to remember what the Lord has done, we give Him thanks, and in the giving thanks faith starts to build again. We recognize that He will continue to make a way, just as He has always done, and lead us forward by His providence into victory. He is faithful, and He does not change. What He has done before, He can do again.
His arm is not too short.
He is not too weak.

We do not look back to get stuck gazing at something that has been.

A Word the Lord Spoke

Last November I was in Canada praying for a woman at a church we were ministering into, and the Lord deposited a word into me, like a flash into my spirit.

Forward is the way.

He told me to speak it over her again and again.

Forward is the way.

And He reminded me of a favorite passage in His Word:

“Forget the former things;
do not dwell on the past.
See, I am doing a new thing!
Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?
I am making a way in the wilderness
and streams in the wasteland.” (Isaiah 43:18–19)

These have been echoing in the hallways of my heart ever since. I keep hearing them as the Lord draws my attention back to them.

Forward is the way.

It was His word in the moment for that precious woman, but it’s for me too. For all of us. A reminder that the only way is forward. Not back. Not reliving the failures of our past or overly analyzing where we went wrong and why, but forgetting the former things and looking up to see the new thing God is doing.

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How God Sees the Past

God does not deal with the past the way we often do.

Through the prophets, He confronted His people with the condition of their hearts. The Israelites (like us) were often stubborn, hard-hearted, and steeped in sin, and God would point to their transgressions to expose what was in them so that He could call them back to Himself.

“Come now, let us reason together,” says the Lord. “Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow.”
Isaiah 1:18

But He does not seem interested in endlessly rehearsing old failures that have already been dealt with.

A beautiful example of this is found in Hebrews 11. There we read about Abraham and Sarah, and they are described as people of unwavering faith who believed God for the promise of a son.

“By faith even Sarah… was enabled to bear children because she considered Him faithful who had made the promise.”
Hebrews 11:11

But if we go back and read the original story in Genesis, we remember that at first Sarah laughed at the promise, and the Lord confronted Abraham about it. And yet when Hebrews tells the story, God records her faith, not her hesitation.

That says something profound about the way God deals with the past for all of us that are in covenant with Him. He sees it through the finished work of the cross.

The Word tells us that our sins were nailed to the cross.

“He forgave us all our sins, having canceled the charge of our legal indebtedness… He has taken it away, nailing it to the cross.”
Colossians 2:13–14

The things that once defined us no longer have the final word, or any word at all. The past that was sinful or “less than” has been dealt with. The Lord has tossed it into the deepest parts of the sea, as far as the east is from the west, and it will be remembered by Him no more.

But our faithful, loving Father does more than even that. The past where we trusted Him, where we believed His promises, where we clung to Him, God remembers that. And He raves about it. As He did with Sarah, boasting about her in His written Word for all the generations to come to read.

“He is not unjust to forget our work and the love we have shown Him.”
Hebrews 6:10

The Accuser Points Backward

The enemy, however, works in the opposite direction.

The Word calls Satan “the accuser of the brethren” (Revelation 12:10). And he loves to do it. All day long he will sit and point at the past. Remember when you did that, remember when you disobeyed, when you didn’t believe, when you weren’t enough. Remember, remember, remember. You are that person still. And he laughs.

And as we look at all these things, which truly we did do, guilt and shame attach like sinkers to a fishing line and drag us deeper until we sit down in despair, forgetting to look up at Christ, forgetting to walk forward.

But the Word of God gives us a way.

“Let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.”
Hebrews 12:1

There is a violence in that throwing off. We aren’t analyzing this thing that hinders or entangles us, turning it over in our hands, wondering how it became so attached, looking it over and examining it. No. Forget all that. Throw it off violently, get up, and run forward! Keep your gaze fixed on Him.

“…fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith.”
Hebrews 12:1–2

He started us on this journey, and He will see us through to the end. He is the perfecter of our faith. We don’t need to get stuck in analysis. The past that has been forgiven does not belong on our shoulders anymore.

Shame does not come from our Father. God sees us through the righteousness of Christ.

“God made Him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God.”
2 Corinthians 5:21

Where Are Our Eyes?

Even knowing all of this, many of us still struggle with where we focus our eyes. And what we behold, we end up becoming. If we behold our past, we will stay there, staring endlessly at it instead of moving forward. If we behold Christ, we advance, and as we do, we are transformed into His likeness.

The direction of the Christian life is clear.

Forward.

Last year and all the years before it are done. If there is something you need to bring to the Lord, bring it to Him. Let Him deal with it, and then leave it at the cross.

Forgive yourself.
Forgive others.
Receive the grace that has already been given to you.

And then move forward.

There is so much our Lord Jesus Christ, the God of hope and peace, desires to give His children.

Look up.
Look forward.

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You may enjoy exploring the rest of the Walking with Purpose series. Each piece builds on the last as we learn to discover God’s purposes and walk in step with Him.

In God’s Vision, Plan, and Purpose for You, we begin by learning to view our lives through God’s lens, discovering that He is not improvising with our lives but unfolding a purpose He has already prepared.

In God’s Word for This Season, we explore how the Lord often speaks into a particular season of our lives, giving clarity, direction, and the power to walk into what He is doing.

And in Little by Little, we reflect on how God’s purposes are rarely fulfilled in dramatic moments, but through the steady faithfulness of small steps of obedience taken day by day.

Next time, we will continue with the Walking with Purpose Series. Subscribe to be notified.

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If you would like to support this work, you can do so here. Donations are tax-deductible. Thank you for being part of what God is doing.

Over the years, I have come to see that it is rarely the dramatic moments that shape our walk with God the most. They often feel big and can act as catalysts for something new. But in themselves they burn bright and then fade. A shooting star that bursts across the night sky only to fall back into the vast cosmos.

The encounters with God, the pivotal decisions, and the new revelations are important, because they often place us at crossroads that reveal something of God’s purposes for us, but they do not sustain us in them. Growth does not happen at the crossroads. It’s in the staying on the path, and choosing to walk it again the next day, and the next. It’s the small things that build momentum which leads to consistency. Little by little, day by day.

As we continue this journey of discovering God’s purposes and learning to walk in step with Him, we must remember that purpose is not usually lost or made in one dramatic decision. It is strengthened, or eroded, in the little things. The tiny nudges that God gives us to adjust our thinking, the small compromises we make when we shrug those nudges off, or the steady gains when we are malleable in His hands. These are the things that, over time, determine the shape of our lives.

As we have been delving into this series, we have seen that when God speaks a word over us, He reveals purpose for our lives. The invitation that follows is often simple, and it comes with a grace to walk it out. But it’s our choice to yield to His leading, or go back to our way of doing things.

So, how can we position ourselves to continue to walk with purpose?

Faithful in the Small

The Lord told Israel that He would drive out their enemies “little by little.”

The LORD your God will clear away these nations before you little by little. You may not make an end of them at once, lest the wild beasts grow too numerous for you (Deuteronomy 7:22).

Not all at once in a single sweeping moment, but gradually, as they were able to take possession of the land and rule it, establishing order and governance.

God grows us the same way. He shapes our character, deepens our intimacy, and expands our capacity little by little. If everything changed overnight, we would not be able to bear it or sustain it.

The small adjustments we allow the Lord to make are not insignificant. They are preparation for what we will walk into. It’s how we learn to steward what He is entrusting to us.

For example, if the Lord is calling us to devote more time in the Word, it’s the daily obedience that becomes a habit, and then a craving as we run to it each day. It’s the discipline God is building in our lives that yields enormous results. It will feed our spirit, renew our mind, and ground us in our relationship with Jesus.

The Word itself reminds us:

One who is faithful in a very little is also faithful in much (Luke 16:10).

We have bad days. We fail in moments. But it’s the patterns we build over time that matter.

Let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up (Galatians 6:9).

We do not earn our inheritance. It has already been secured for us in Christ. But we need to walk into it little by little and possess it. As we mature into it, we grow in our capacity to carry it.

Following the Prompting of the Holy Spirit

Sometimes we imagine that walking in God’s purposes requires large, heroic acts of faith. But more often, it looks like daily responsiveness to the leadings of His precious Holy Spirit. For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God (Romans 8:14).

I have noticed in my own life that when I ignore the small promptings of the Holy Spirit, intimacy begins to dull. And when I respond, when I submit to the adjustment, peace floods my spirit and joy becomes my friend. I walk closely with Jesus again.

When I took an Uber a few months ago, my driver spoke to me in a whisper. She then apologized, saying she has a problem with her voice and cannot speak above a whisper. I asked if this was temporary like pharyngitis or something she lived with long term. She said it had been years and there was no hope for change. I felt a righteous anger rise up in me because she shouldn’t have to live this way. And in that moment I felt the Holy Spirit nudge me, “Pray for her.”

My next thought was, well, that’s not going to work, since she’s taking me to Urgent Care for chest pains. What kind of witness am I for the healing power of God? I had a choice. There was a brief internal wrestle. It felt inconvenient and slightly absurd, but I knew God was directing me. So I obeyed. I asked if she would mind if I prayed for her, and she was very willing. As I stretched my hand over the back of the seat and laid it on her shoulder, I started to pray, and the palpable presence and peace of God descended.

I know she encountered the presence of God in that moment, and I continued to pray for her in the days that followed. I may not ever know what came of that, but I scattered the seed the Lord put in my hand. Next time I want to respond to Him again, so that He continues to put opportunities in my path, where I can give Him glory as I walk into all He has purposed for me.

It required a yielding to do that.

God is the One who forms us. He is the One who works in us to will and to act according to His good pleasure (Philippians 2:13).

But we must allow the adjustment. God doesn’t force us into maturity or out of nowhere increase the anointing we carry. We grow into these things. Even when they come suddenly, it’s because there’s a path of surrender we’ve been walking in.

Catch the Little Foxes

Song of Songs is one of my favorite books. Reading it in the Passion Translation opened my eyes to the intimacy of my relationship with Jesus, and the ebbs and flows of following Him.

The Bridegroom says to the Bride, “Arise, my love, my beautiful one, and come away, for behold, the winter is past…” He wants to take her away with Him into a place of intimacy.

Then He says,

“Catch the little foxes for us, the little foxes that spoil the vineyards, for our vineyards are in blossom” (Song of Songs 2:15).

He knows the little foxes may seem like minor nuisances, but if ignored, they will eat the fruit and spoil the vineyard, so He tells her to catch them. He first made her aware of them and then said, Let’s deal with this.

It’s important that we lean on the prompting of the Holy Spirit here, otherwise we can easily fall into self-righteousness and legalism. When the Lord puts His finger on something, that is the time to address it. As He leads, He enables. Self-righteousness is heavy, a scratchy overcoat that weighs us down. It’s restrictive and subtly trains us to measure others instead of ourselves. Christ’s righteousness is the robe of righteousness, a light, perfect fit.

So often we mark ourselves successful because we are not failing in big ways, and we overlook the little things that, if left unattended, can eventually obliterate the fruit. I have done this in my own life. Little things I thought were not a big deal, left unchecked, became unmanageable.

We are told to lay aside every weight and the sin that so easily entangles us (Hebrews 12:1), and to guard our hearts, for everything flows from it (Proverbs 4:23).

Purpose is not usually derailed in one catastrophic moment, although leaving things unchecked can ultimately lead to one. It is weakened in the procrastination of obedience or the shrugging off of the nudges of the Holy Spirit. The places where we stop listening are the places where intimacy is eroded, and without intimacy with the Lord, the world can begin to look deceptively tasteful again.

These small, Spirit-led changes may not look impressive to anyone else. But they shape our intimacy with Jesus, and as we lay aside the weights and the sin that entangles us, we can walk forward with freedom and in time find ourselves running into the purposes of God.

How Is He Leading?

So perhaps the question is not, “What is the grand thing I must do for God?” Maybe it is just putting our hand in His and letting Him lead. Maybe it’s being malleable as He shapes us and forms us into the image of Christ. We can’t do it. Many have tried. All have failed. But He can.

So without tripping into legalism or hyper-vigilance, can we ask the Lord to make us aware of His leading?

Is there a discipline He is forming in our lives where He’s teaching us consistency?
Is there an area He’s prodding and saying, “Let’s deal with this little fox?”
Is He wanting to make us more responsive to His leading?

I encourage you to turn your face toward Him, slip your hand into His, and ask Him to lead you.

As we walk with Him, let us not despise the little things. They are often the hinges on which great doors swing.

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Next time, we will continue with the Walking with Purpose Series, discovering God’s purposes and learning to walk in step with Him.

Psalms says:

I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my loving eye on you. (Psalm 32:8, NIV)

He is always guiding us, teaching us, and walking with us. I know that if I lean into Him for the fulfillment, if I keep this word at the top of my spirit, remembering it often and watching for it, even in the midst of circumstances that seem contrary, I will walk in it.

Last year the word was Restore. And God faithfully restored me in ways I could not have planned or imagined. Far beyond what I had hoped for in a single year. Restoration can be a lifelong journey for followers of Jesus, so I know I will always walk in this, but 2025 was the season where God brought bucketloads of freedom to me. He restored hope and purpose, and set me up for a new and beautiful journey in Him. He also fulfilled a prophetic word He had spoken to me in 2012 that I would become “a pillar in the house of the Lord,” serving Him in ministry. I held onto that word for fourteen years, and last year God opened the door for me to start walking in it.

This year He has given me a new word, Forward, and I’m standing on tippy toes, reaching up to Him like a child, waiting for Him to take my hand. I know He will walk me forward into all that He has for me, because He said so.

We don’t have to align our seasons in the Lord with the annual calendar (God certainly doesn’t stuff Himself into that box), but the beginning of the year is often a time when we naturally wonder: What’s next? What’s for now? What’s for this year? So why not ask Him?

The Lord is constantly speaking to us and His words are containers for their own fulfillment, like little satchels packed with many treasures. From these word-satchels come three treasures I want to focus on today: clarity of vision, understanding the season, and the power to walk in the word.

Clarity of Vision

The first treasure is clarity of vision. When God speaks over us, His words restore vision and purpose. They show us God’s heart, and where He is leading, reminding us He does have a plan and He is unfolding it. We don’t always know how it will look or what we will encounter, but when He speaks, we remember that He knows. If we would just lean into Him and seek His voice, this treasure will spill out of the satchel, and His vision for us will shed light on our path.

Vision is essential in our walk with the Lord. It steadies us when life is shaky, and anchors us in identity.

Scripture is clear about the cost of living without vision.

Where there is no vision, the people perish. (Proverbs 29:18, KJV)

Other translations say that without vision, people cast off restraint. They lose focus and, floundering in the uncertainty, react instead of walking with intention, and may end up in places they never wanted to be.

The Hebrew word for vision is chazon, which speaks of revelation, not human ambition. Vision is not about setting goals or manufacturing purpose. It is about receiving insight from God that orders our lives around what He is doing.

I know what it feels like to live without vision. I have walked through seasons where I felt directionless, restless, unsure of who I was or where I was going, and these uncertainties tend to breed worthlessness. When God speaks, He restores orientation and re-establishes purpose, which rebuilds worth and identity in us. His voice reminds us that we are not wandering aimlessly, we are being led by a loving Father, even in the tough seasons.

Understanding the Season

Another treasure we receive from the Lord when He speaks is an understanding of the season we are in. We are given a window of time where His word is meant to be walked out, nurtured, tested, and fulfilled. It is not a rigid season, where once it is finished we are no longer walking in it, but rather a time that can be saturated with a particular work the Lord is doing in us. This often brings clarity to why we are facing certain things, and at the same time helps us to press into Him for fulfillment of His word.

In Scripture, we are told of a group of men from the tribe of Issachar whom the Lord brought to David as he was being established as king. They became a vital part of his army, not because of their strength or military skill, but because of their discernment. They were known for understanding the times and knowing what ought to be done.

“The sons of Issachar who had understanding of the times, to know what Israel ought to do” (1 Chronicles 12:32, NKJV).

These men could read the moment they were living in and respond wisely to it. Understanding the season keeps us from striving ahead of God or lagging behind Him. It helps us cooperate with what He is doing and focus our attention on it. It brings understanding, which can usher in peace, because we are not fighting the season, but walking it out.

Walking in Power

One of the most powerful things about God speaking to us is that that inherent in His word is the ability to accomplish what it declares. God is a Creator. His word is living. It’s active. A double-edged sword, dividing between bone and marrow and soul and spirit. It is not passive. It does not return empty. As Isaiah says,

So is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it. (Isaiah 55:11)

If someone else had told me, “God wants to restore you,” it would have been encouraging for sure. But when God says it, it has power. I didn’t walk into restoration because I tried harder, but because God had already released the power for it through His word. He said it, and I received it. That’s all.

When God speaks over us, His word carries the energy to fulfill what it declares. Philippians says,

For it is God who works in you to will and to act according to His good purpose. (Philippians 2:13, NIV)

His word is alive. He gives us both the desire and the ability to walk it out. But He waits for our response. His word is an invitation to walk into that season. It’s not fate. We have a choice. Can we lean into His word with faith, obedience, and trust? Will we take His hand and walk with Him?

What Is God Speaking Over You?

What has God spoken over you? What is He speaking over you in this season? If you aren’t sure, ask Him. He longs to answer.

One of my closest friends shared with our group the Scripture verses God had given her at the beginning of the last several years. As she re-read them, she began tying the years together and noticed they read like a conversation, almost like poetry unfolding over her life. It gave her such understanding and excitement to lean in for more.

He may work differently with you than He does with me, so don’t limit yourself to only a word. The Lord may give you a word, a phrase, a picture, Scripture, or something entirely unexpected. Whatever form it takes, it’s yours. It carries vision, understanding for the season you’re in, and the power to step boldly into what He has spoken. Lean in and receive it. Then walk forward with confidence, knowing the Creator has already released the power for His word to accomplish its purpose in you.

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Next time, we will continue with the Walking with Purpose Series, discovering God’s purposes and learning to walk in step with Him.

From the very beginning, God has always taken the initiative to draw people into relationship with Himself. He is the One who calls, the One who works, and the One who fulfills His purpose in and through us. Over the years, I have learned that the more we understand God’s ways, the more we begin to live not for our own plans, but for His. My desire in sharing these thoughts is to encourage you to view your life through the lens of God’s vision, His plan, and His purpose.

The apostle Paul writes,

“…work out your salvation [that is, cultivate it, bring it to full effect, actively pursue spiritual maturity] with awe-inspired fear and trembling [using serious caution and critical self-evaluation to avoid anything that might offend God or discredit the name of Christ]. For it is [not your strength, but it is] God who is effectively at work in you, both to will and to work [that is, strengthening, energizing, and creating in you the longing and the ability to fulfill your purpose] for His good pleasure.”

— Philippians 2:12–13 (Amplified Bible)

What wonderfully powerful verses full of promise and vision! Not only does God take the initiative by pursuing a love relationship with us, but He also invites us to be more involved with Him in His work.

God doesn’t consult us before He begins His work, yet He invites us to be partakers in it. Therefore, in order to be rightly oriented to God, we need a God-centered life. When our focus is on Him, we are far better positioned to recognize what He is doing and how He wants us involved.

Throughout Scripture, we see this pattern again and again. In Genesis, we read about how God accomplished His purposes through Abraham. But while we see a record of Abraham’s walk with God, the focus is always on God and what He is doing.

Whenever God is about to do something significant, He takes the initiative to speak to someone:

• Genesis 6:5–14 — When God was preparing to judge the earth with a flood, He came to Noah.

• Genesis 18:16–21 — When God prepared to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah, He told Abraham.

• Exodus 3 — When He planned to deliver Israel from Egypt, He appeared to Moses.

• Judges 6:11–16 — When Israel needed deliverance from Midianite oppression, He came to Gideon.

• Acts 9:1–16 — When the gospel was to be carried to the Gentiles, He stopped Saul (Paul) on the road to Damascus.

Without a doubt, the most important function in each situation was not what the individual wanted to do for God, but what God Himself was about to do.

Let me ask the question: Who delivered the children of Israel from Egypt—God or Moses?

God did, but He chose to bring Moses into a relationship with Himself so that He, God, could use Moses to deliver Israel.

God knows His people. He created us. He understands our world, and He knows the past, present, and future. His ways are always right and always best.

In Psalm 81, God warns His people that if they refuse to listen and submit to His ways, He will allow them to follow their own desires. At first, that may look like freedom, but experience teaches us that it’s a recipe for disaster, with untold pain and loss.

Now note Ephesians 2:10:

“For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”

God has a plan, a purpose, and a future for you and me.

Let us also be aware that it is through faith and patience that we inherit what has been promised to us: vision, plans, and purpose.

The source of patience is having God’s vision, because only vision from God gives us God’s inspiration.

Moses endured not because of his devotion to his principles of what was right, nor even because of his sense of duty to God, but because he had a vision of God:

“…He persevered because he saw Him who is invisible.” — Hebrews 11:27

A person who has the vision and purposes of God in his heart is not devoted to a particular cause or issue. He is devoted to God Himself.

You always know when the vision and purposes are of God because of the inspiration that comes with it.

So, we come full circle.

For it is God who is all the while effectively at work in you, energizing and creating in you the power and desire.

God is waiting and wanting to fulfill His purpose in us and through us, not only for our benefit, but for the sake of others and for His glory, power, and splendor.

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There are many wells the Lord calls us to dig so that we can live strong, steady, and fruitful lives. One of these is the well of godly counsel. If we neglect this well, we risk living by what seems right in our own eyes — and Scripture tells us that this is the way of a fool. God has given us His Word as our foundation, but He has also designed us to walk with others, to receive wisdom, and to grow through godly relationships.

For generations, our culture has leaned heavily toward self-direction and self-authority. Cindy Jacobs, in her book Reformers Arise, explains how the Age of Enlightenment elevated human reason above God’s truth. Anything in Scripture that could not be explained rationally was set aside. Over time, this produced a mindset where personal preference became the test for truth, and morality shifted with whatever an individual felt. We see the result all around us. When each person becomes their own final authority, confusion and instability follow.

Yet God has shown us a different way.

How Do Redwoods Get so Tall?

Redwoods, the tallest trees in the world, don’t reach colossal heights because they have long, deep tap roots. They stand because their many roots spread wide and intertwine with the roots of neighboring trees, linking arms with their brothers and sisters. It’s this hidden network that gives them the strength to withstand storms and reach such height. God intended His people to live the same way — connected, submitted, and strengthened by others God has placed around us.

God’s Word is always our plumb line. We go to Him first. We measure everything by Scripture. But the Bible itself also teaches the importance of counsel. Proverbs 12:15 says:

“The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, but he who heeds counsel is wise.”

Even though we seek the Lord directly, He often confirms and applies His truth to our lives through godly people. Counsel is not a replacement for hearing God, but it is part of how God leads us, protects us, and strengthens us.

Scripture gives us several clear examples.

“Two are better than one… For if they fall, one will lift up his companion.” (Ecclesiastes 4:9–12)
This shows us that we were never meant to stand alone. There will be times when we stumble or grow weary. Godly relationships help lift us, steady us, and keep us moving forward.

“Just as a body, though one, has many parts… so it is with Christ.” (1 Corinthians 12:12–14)
Here we are reminded that every believer has a part to play. We function as God intended when our lives are joined to others in the body. Isolation makes us ineffective; connection allows us to operate in our God-given purpose.

“Listen to advice and accept discipline, and at the end you will be counted among the wise.” (Proverbs 19:20)
Wisdom grows in those who are willing to receive instruction and correction. Godly counsel helps realign us when we drift and brings clarity when emotions cloud our judgment.

Each passage shows the same truth from a different angle:
we need one another, and God uses others to help shape and strengthen us.

God never intended us to walk alone. He placed us in families, both natural and spiritual, because we need the strength, correction, and balance that come from others. Wise counsel helps steady our hearts. It brings perspective we may not see on our own and keeps us aligned with the truth of God’s Word.

Seeking Counsel

Scripture also warns us about the kind of counsel we choose.
Paul writes of people who gather teachers to tell them what their itching ears want to hear. (2 Timothy 4:3)
If we only seek out voices that agree with us, we will eventually drift. Godly counsel does not simply affirm our desires; it helps shape them according to truth. We need people who fear the Lord, who live by the Word, and who have a proven history of obeying God even when it is costly.

The book of Proverbs tells us to seek wisdom as treasure (Proverbs 2). Wisdom is not found by accident. We pursue it. We ask for it. We humble ourselves enough to learn from others who have walked faithfully with God over time. Part of growing in wisdom is being willing to sit at another’s feet and receive instruction — while keeping Jesus alone on the throne of our hearts.

Becoming a Source of Godly Counsel

Godly counsel is not only something we receive; it is something we grow into. As we walk with the Lord, He forms in us the kind of character that can strengthen others. Scripture says, “The teaching of the wise is a fountain of life” (Proverbs 13:14). Wise counsel does not come from strong opinions or personal preference, but from a life submitted to God, shaped by His Word, and tested through obedience.

When people come to us for guidance, our role is not to give them what we think, or what will make them feel better in the moment, but to point them to Christ and to His truth. Godly counsel always leads people toward the Lord, not toward ourselves. As we grow in wisdom, we become part of the very network God uses to steady and strengthen others.

Digging the Well of Wise Counsel

But how do we dig this well and learn to live from a heart posture that seeks out or recognizes wise counsel?

One way is to choose an area of your life where you are asking God for something — a way out, a new direction, a breakthrough.
Take it before the Lord first. Ask Him to speak, to guide, and to make His Word clear.

After you have sought Him for yourself, ask the Holy Spirit if there is someone He has placed in your life who can help confirm or sharpen what He is already saying, a godly person who loves the Word, who walks in humility, and who has consistently demonstrated the fruit of aligning their life with Scripture, even when obedience has come at a cost.

The goal is not to replace God’s voice with another’s, but to allow Him to use the body of Christ to steady and strengthen you, and to begin experiencing the beautiful unity that comes from walking things out with others.

Ask:

• Lord, is there someone I should invite to speak into this area?

• Is there correction I need to receive?

• Is there wisdom I have been resisting?

Seek Him first.
Walk in humility.
Let both work together.

Digging this well will keep the channels open for wisdom to pour into our lives, and then out of us to others.

Let us choose, then, to draw deeply from this well. Let our lives be joined with brothers and sisters in Christ who help us walk in truth. Let us be quick to seek wisdom and willing to learn from the godly relationships the Lord has given us. As we do, we will stand stronger, grow deeper, and walk more faithfully in the ways of God.

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You can explore more teaching and resources at Restoring the Wells.

Wishing you all a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. We will see you in 2026.

We’ve been doing a series on digging wells in the different aspects of our walk with Christ. A well dug deep will provide sustenance for years to come, something we can draw from during dry or difficult seasons. When we carry wells of refreshing water within us, they will naturally bubble up in how we respond to situations, people, and challenges.

Digging wells of praise in all circumstances, faith in the word, time in the secret place, expectation for the move of God, and other foundational truths will, over time, anchor us and make us steadfast.

Today we want to discuss the well of forgiveness. A topic that is often glossed over and sometimes rejected completely because of the immeasurable pain people carry from wounds inflicted by others. But this cannot be a shallow well we dig once to check a box, and then walk away from. Forgiveness is a well we must keep digging and drawing from every time an old offense resurfaces or a new offense knocks the wind out of us. Forgiveness is not optional in the kingdom of God.

Clayton Grenfell recently preached a four-part series on Forgiveness at Free Life Church. It’s an outstanding and powerful message that confronts us with the truth of forgiveness, what it looks like, and how to make it a way of life. He goes over what forgiveness isn’t—it’s not minimizing what has been done to you or excusing away someone else’s sin. All of us, in various degrees, have been accosted by evil that may have caused deeply entrenched wounds that are not fair nor acceptable, and could have had ripple effects in our lives. But imagine if there was a way to stop that ripple, heal those wounds, and live free from them. There is. Forgiveness. It’s one of the most radically freeing secret weapons we have, if only we truly understood its power and lived by it.

As Clay says in his message, we cannot hold onto unforgiveness and hold onto the cross at the same time. They are incompatible. The cross demands that we release the offense, that we surrender bitterness, that we make space for forgiving others as we simultaneously receive the forgiveness of God for all that we have done or failed to do.

Yet, so many of us cling to unforgiveness as if it were a lifeline. We want forgiveness to be a feeling, a sudden flood of peace that blissfully transports us to a place of freedom, and while we wait, we hold onto the wound, the injustice of it all, waiting for the offender to show groveling, weeping sorrow. But forgiveness doesn’t work like that. It’s not a feeling, and it’s not dependent on the other party being sorry at all. It’s an act of our will, often diametrically opposed to our natural desire. In and of ourselves, we want justice. We demand it. But the cross teaches a different message, and that message, if we allow it, will take root in us and transform us. If we wait until we feel like forgiving, we’ll not only stay in bondage, but a bitter root will grow in us, and defile many (Hebrews 12:15).

Some mic-dropping quotes from Clay’s sermon:

The kingdom of God advances on the tracks of forgiveness.

The devil traffics in offense. It’s his most effective tool to divide, derail, and destroy.

Offense is inevitable. Staying offended is optional.

When you don’t forgive, you partner with torment.

Forgiveness is one of God’s most powerful tools to teach us the love of Christ. It’s a love that costs something; it cost Jesus His life. This love means forgiving those who don’t deserve it, even those who are not sorry, and as if that’s not enough, even those who won’t stop behaving that way. You’re never more like Jesus than when you forgive someone who doesn’t deserve it. That’s what the cross shows us. It is the ultimate picture of unfair forgiveness. If this seems impossible, the astounding truth is that the love of God has been poured into our hearts by the Holy Spirit.

“And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.” — Romans 5:5

We can forgive like Christ forgave because He pours His love into us. It’s not easy, but it’s what Jesus calls us to.

Forgiveness doesn’t mean reconciliation is automatic. Sometimes it means, “I forgive you, but I cannot trust you.” And sometimes it’s drawing healthy boundaries. But it will always bring freedom to the one forgiving. Your breakthrough might be on the other side of the person you said you’d never forgive!

Remember, Scripture says, “Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them.” (Romans 12:14-16) If offense to you causes offense in you, the enemy wins twice. Choosing forgiveness, choosing to bless those that persecute you, is divine and profoundly powerful. In reality, most of the time, those who hurt you don’t know what they’re doing or the true extent of the damage they have caused you.

“Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” (Luke 23:34)

Drink deeply from the well of forgiveness. Keep digging, even when it’s hard. I urge you to listen to Clay’s sermons on forgiveness. They offer practical steps based on biblical truth, and I believe they are anointed to impart the revelation of forgiveness that will change your life — if you choose to receive it.

[Watch Clay’s Forgiveness Series here]

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Next week, we will explore the Well of Godly Counsel and the strength that comes from walking with others in Christ.

As we continue to dig the ancient wells, one of the most pertinent for this season is the well of expectation. Throughout Scripture, God’s people were called to wait, to watch, and to prepare their hearts for what He had already promised to do. This kind of expectation is not passive. It is faith-filled anticipation that positions us to receive what God has spoken.

Over recent months, as we have travelled and ministered, we have been reminded again and again of God’s faithfulness and His desire to move powerfully amongst His people. We sense a stirring, a calling to look up and expect God to act. In many places we visit, there is a weighty awareness that something new is coming.

Expectation is a well that must be dug. Without it, we can miss what God is doing. With it, we prepare our hearts for His work.

A Vision for Revival

Throughout history there have been moments when God has moved with unmistakable power. These moments often appeared suddenly, yet they came upon hearts that were seeking Him, looking for Him, expecting Him.

A.W. Tozer wrote of the Welsh Revival of 1904:

“The nation had drifted far from God… Suddenly, like an unexpected tornado, the Spirit of God swept over the land. The churches were crowded so that the multitudes were unable to get in. Meetings lasted from ten in the morning until twelve at night.”

Testimonies of transformed lives, restored families, and genuine repentance spread quickly. Tozer recorded:

Infidels were converted, drunkards, thieves and gamblers saved… Mules in the coal mines refused to work being unused to kindness. In five weeks, 20,000 joined the churches.

These accounts stir something within us. They remind us that God has moved before, and He can move again. Many prophetic words have pointed to a fresh work of God in our day. But prophetic promises do not remove our responsibility. Like every well in Scripture, this well must be dug and reopened.

Preparing for What God Has Promised

In many places we visit, we sense a hunger rising in God’s people. The last few years have brought shaking and uncertainty. Many Christians recognize that the foundations of this world are being tested, and they feel a renewed longing for God’s presence and power. There is a hunger for the glory of God to return to His people, a fresh desire to walk in an authentic relationship with Jesus, and a growing eagerness to read and understand His Word. These are often signs that God is preparing hearts.

In such seasons, it is important that we keep our eyes on the Lord. Psalm 32:8 offers this assurance:

“I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you and watch over you.”

God Himself promises to guide us. Our responsibility is to stay close to Him. Jesus’ words still lead us:
“Come, follow Me, and I will make you…”

If we are to be “made,” then we must posture ourselves before the Lord so He can shape us, strengthen us, and mature us for what lies ahead. This applies to our personal lives, our families, and the church as a whole.

It is good to ask:

• Am I preparing my heart for what God wants to do in this season?

• Am I watchful, prayerful, and attentive to His voice?

• Do I carry expectation for God to move in my life and in His church?

Expectation grows when we turn toward Him with sincerity and a willingness to be formed.

Guarding Against Unbelief

Scripture gives us a clear warning about the danger of unbelief. In Hebrews 3:12, the writer speaks directly to Christian believers and cautions them against “an evil heart of unbelief.” This is not unbelief in Christ as Savior, but a quiet, careless unbelief that can enter when we do not watch over what God has spoken. It can also show itself as an inward resistance — a reluctance to fully surrender to God’s promises. Both can keep us from stepping into what the Lord desires to do.

We see the same principle in the account of Israel in the wilderness. God had given them a clear word—a good land, His presence, His victory—yet they allowed fear and doubt to outweigh what He had spoken. Hebrews 4:2 tells us that the good news did not benefit them because it was not mixed with faith.

The same can be true today. God may speak, stir, or reveal His purposes, yet we can hesitate to believe Him. We might agree with His promises in theory, but struggle to take hold of them in practice. Unbelief often works quietly. It can settle into the heart without announcement.

Expectation guards us against this. When we choose to believe what God has said, and when we turn toward Him with simple, trusting faith, unbelief loses its influence.

Reopening the Well of Expectation

Like every spiritual well, the well of expectation can become blocked if we do not pay attention to it. We must keep it open so that expectation stays strong in our hearts.

Here are some practical ways to reopen this well:

• Return to the Word of God. Spend time reading Scripture with an open heart, allowing the Holy Spirit to stir faith and hope within you.

• Seek the Lord intentionally. Set moments aside to be quiet before Him, to listen, and to wait for His leading.

• Ask Him to enlarge your capacity. Expectation grows as God widens our understanding of who He is and what He desires to do.

• Resist unbelief. Reject the doubts, fears, and hesitations that keep you from embracing His promises.

As we reopen this well, we position ourselves for what God desires to bring forth. Expectation does not make something happen; it prepares the heart to receive what God has already planned.

Let us come before Him with faith and readiness. Let us ask Him to stir a deeper hunger for His presence, His Word, and His ways. And let us believe that He will lead us in this season, just as He has promised.

God is faithful.

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Next week, we turn to the Well of Forgiveness, a well that reaches deep into the heart and is essential for those who desire to walk in lasting freedom and maturity in Christ.

Happy Thanksgiving, dear friends.

As we celebrate today, my heart goes back to something we touched on in last week’s “Well of Praise” reflection — “Enter His gates with thanksgiving and His courts with praise.” (Psalm 100:4)
Praise and thanksgiving are not separate streams; they flow together. One leads us to the other, and both open the way for us to meet with the Lord.

Thanksgiving is a wonderful holiday that invites us to slow down and consider what we are grateful for. But beyond this day, Scripture calls us to a lifestyle of thankfulness.

“And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.” (Col. 3:17)

“Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful.” (Col. 4:2)

“Be joyful always… give thanks in all circumstances.” (1 Thess. 5:16–18)

In the hustle and bustle of life, it is good to pause — to sit quietly and reflect on the goodness of God, His character, His works, and His answered prayers. Without intentional moments like these, we can easily stay caught in the fast lane.

Over these past weeks of travel, as we have been visiting and ministering at different churches, we have been so moved by the Lord’s faithfulness. We are thankful for transformed lives. Often we meet people we ministered to years before, and the change in them pours thanks out of our hearts. God is at work, and it is a privilege to witness His ongoing grace.

With that in mind, I want to look at a moment in Scripture that beautifully captures true thanksgiving: David bringing the ark of God back to Jerusalem (1 Chronicles 16:7–36).

We read in this passage, and also in 1 Chronicles 15:15–19, at least five elements of genuine thanksgiving. The people’s joy, their adoration, and David’s uninhibited devotion are striking. David was willing to look foolish in the eyes of others if it meant expressing his gratitude to God fully and honestly.

Here are five expressions of true thanksgiving that stand out in this passage:

1. Uninhibited praise

   • “Joyful song”

   • Musical instruments

   • Rejoicing (1 Chron. 15:16, 25)

2. Remembering what God has done

   • “Remember the wonders He has done…” (1 Chron. 16:12)

3. Telling others about it

   • Making known what He has done

   • Proclaiming His salvation

   • Declaring His glory (1 Chron. 16:8, 23–24)

4. Showing God’s glory to others

   • His splendor, majesty, strength, and joy (1 Chron. 16:24–27)

5. Offering gifts

   • Our time

   • Our resources

   • Our material goods

   • Our finances (1 Chron. 16:29)

Today, as we gather around tables or spend quiet moments with the Lord, I encourage us all to reflect on our own practice of thanksgiving.

For some of us, gratitude has been overshadowed by the worries of life. Let’s choose to pause and return to that heart of thankfulness.
For others, the gratitude is there, but has not been voiced or expressed in a long time. Begin again today. Thanksgiving grows as we practice it.

Let us give thanks, because we serve a great, mighty, faithful, loving, and gracious God.

Happy Thanksgiving to you and your families. We are so grateful for every one of you, and for your partnership in the Kingdom of God.

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Next week, we’ll continue our Digging Wells series with The Well of Expectation — a stirring reflection from Ken on igniting vision for revival, preparing our hearts, and positioning ourselves for all God longs to do.

Praise is not just something we do because we’re supposed to. It is a well we can dig again and again, creating a deep reservoir and a source of strength that never runs dry.

Early on in my walk with the Lord, I began building a well of praise. I didn’t realize it then, but every moment I spent lifting my voice in worship, exalting the name of the Lord, choosing joy over pain, even weeping as I worshipped alone in my car, I was digging that well. And it has carried me through many seasons of life, as I’ve returned to it again and again.

In the most difficult times, I have made myself praise. Sometimes it shifted my perspective. Often it filled me with joy that made no sense, but bubbled up to overflowing. And many times, it lifted me out of the situation itself. Praise always does something powerful!

The subject of praise has always captured my heart. The command to praise God is mentioned about 250 times in the Bible, so it is safe to say that praise is important to Him.

Sometimes people think praise is the “immature version” of worship, the fast song before the deep and intimate time, but it is not that at all. Praise is powerful! Scripture is full of praise, and it is a profound key in the Kingdom of God.

Isaiah 61:3 tells us that God offers us “the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness.” What a gift! And Psalm 100:4 says we are to “enter His gates with thanksgiving and His courts with praise.” Praise is not a warm-up. It is a gateway that ushers us into the presence of the King.

Second Chronicles 20:21–22 tells the story of Jehoshaphat appointing men to go out before the army, singing to the Lord and praising Him. As they sang, the Lord set ambushes against their enemies and gave them victory. In this and many other Old Testament battles, praise made way for breakthrough, and it still does the same today.

The Language of Praise

We know that praise and worship are meant to be part of our everyday lives. We can praise the Lord in our prayers, in our speech, and in our songs.

But the word praise in the English Bible has been translated from seven different Hebrew words that carry far more depth than our limited English understanding. While this is just a brief overview, it offers a glimpse into the rich and varied expressions of praise found throughout Scripture.

Yadah — to raise your hands.
Towdah — thanksgiving and the extension of one’s hand.
Barak — to kneel and to bless.
Tehillah — spontaneous, unrehearsed song that bubbles up from a grateful heart.
Zamar — to pluck the strings and celebrate in song and music.
Halal — to be clamorously foolish, stepping outside our dignity to express joy, like David when he danced before the Lord.
Shabach — to address in a loud tone, with a sense of freedom or triumph.

The Power of Singing and Dancing

There are many ways to praise the Lord, but I want to highlight singing and dancing. The Psalms are filled with examples of both.

When David brought the Ark of the Covenant back, he danced with all his might before the Lord. The Ark represents the presence of God, and David welcomed it with full-bodied praise.

This expression is sometimes unfamiliar in Western culture and can feel uncomfortable, but part of biblical praise is learning to dance before the Lord with all our might. This combination of singing and dancing is powerful. It’s not about how we sound or move, but that we do it.

The Bible says that every place our foot treads, He will give to us. As we dance before Him, our feet tread on places and on problems, declaring praise to our Worthy King over everyone and everything. This is an act of faith and praise, and it brings tremendous liberty.

The Well of Joy

I have so many beautiful memories of praise, both corporately and on my own. I remember how the joy of the Lord would overflow as I sang and danced around my house, or worshipped in my car. Sometimes I would weep, undone by His presence; other times I would laugh from deep within my belly. Many times I joined with the body of Christ, at youth retreats, Sunday services, Encounter nights, or church camps, and His joy would be poured out over His people as we praised and danced and sang to Him.

And now, no matter the season, I return to that same well as often as I can, and He meets me there. Praise to the Lord is always returned with a gift: joy, strength, clarity, victory.

Lessons From a Life of Praise

I would like to share a few excerpts from Ruth Heflin’s book, Glory: Experiencing the Atmosphere of Heaven.

She writes,

“Not only does He urge us ‘praise the Lord.’ He tells us to praise with the voice of thanksgiving (Psalm 26:7), with the voice of triumph (Psalm 47:1), with the voice of a psalm (Psalm 98:5), and with the voice of rejoicing (Psalm 118:15).”

She also says,

“A voice of praise is always a voice of victory.”

And my favorite quote of hers is this:

Praise until the spirit of worship comes,
Worship until the glory comes,
Then stand in the glory.

Over the years, I’ve learned that:

• Praise releases joy.

• Praise is powerful and is a weapon of warfare.

• Praise opens the way for us to move into true worship, where we can worship in spirit and in truth.

• Praise impacts the atmosphere around us.

• We praise as a celebration.

• We praise as a love offering to our Lord.

Drawing from the Well

When cultivating a lifestyle of praise, it can be hard to know how to start. We can feel awkward or unsure of what to say. In those moments, I find it helpful to start by praising God for who He is—for His love, His goodness, His greatness, His kindness, His majesty, His grace, and for every answered prayer.

We can use the Word, singing the Psalms back to Him, and praising Him in every way we can:

Let us sing His praises,
shout His praises,
dance His praises,
in the quiet of our rooms and in the company of others,
in joy and in heaviness.

This week, find a moment each day to actively choose praise—whether through singing a song out loud in your car, dancing before the Lord in your home, or reading aloud a Psalm that praises the name and character of our God.

Begin building your own well of praise. As you start to make this part of your life, watch how heaviness lifts and joy begins to bubble up again.

Worthy is the Lord.

If this reflection spoke to you, share it with one person who might need it today.

You can explore more teaching and resources at Restoring the Wells.

Subscribe to continue receiving our Digging Wells series — discovering the secret to walking the narrow road of the Christian life and staying faithful to the end.

As we continue this journey of digging the ancient wells, the places of refreshing and encounter that may have been stopped up over time, the Lord keeps calling us deeper. In Part One, we looked at why it matters to dig the wells that sustain our walk with Him. In Part Two, we explored the well of the secret place, where we meet with the Father in prayer and where He promises to reward those who seek Him.

Now we turn to the well of faith, the unshakable trust that God is who He says He is, and that He will do what He says He will do. This well sustains us and enables us to walk in His promises and His power.

Faith is built on the unchanging nature of God and the certainty of His Word.

The Foundation of Faith

In all of God’s dealings with man, He asked for (and still asks for), sought after (and still seeks after), required (and still requires) one thing above all else: to believe Him. To trust, adhere to, and have faith in Him and His Word.

Many teachings on faith today, when weighed against Scripture, are either unbalanced or unsound. That’s why it’s always wise to return to what the Bible actually says. Peter understood this when he wrote:

“So I will always remind you of these things, even though you know them and are firmly established in the truth you now have. I think it is right to refresh your memory as long as I live in the tent of this body, because I know that I will soon put it aside, as our Lord Jesus Christ has made clear to me. And I will make every effort to see that after my departure you will always be able to remember these things.” (2 Peter 1:12–15)

It’s good to be reminded of things we already know. It’s right to go back to the basics from time to time and reestablish the foundational truths.

The writer of Hebrews states the absolute importance of faith when he says:

“Without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.” (Hebrews 11:6)

This is faith’s beginning. Faith must begin with the fact that God is—and that He rewards those who diligently seek Him. Nothing can be known of God or received from Him unless a man or woman believes that He is, that He exists as God, the Supreme Being.

What Is Faith?

Faith is one of the few words actually defined in the Bible. Hebrews 11:1 says:

“Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.”

Let’s unpack the truth found in this verse.

There is a difference between faith and hope. Hope is an attitude of expectancy concerning things that are still in the future, while faith makes “real” what is not yet a reality in experience. Faith has substance. It is true confidence, something definite within us.

Hope is anchored in the realm of the mind. Hope knows it is possible, but faith waits confidently and expectantly for the promise to appear. Faith is anchored in the realm of the heart. Heart-faith always produces a definite change in those who possess it. The fundamental change is from uncertainty to certainty.

Faith is the internal “evidence” that causes hope to become the certain conviction that things not yet seen are nonetheless guaranteed to appear. It is not wishful thinking, but rests firmly on a solid rhema word from the Lord that allows the spiritual inner man to say, “It is done.”

Therefore, faith deals with things unseen and is not based on our five physical senses. Faith is a spiritual sense: it touches and reaches beyond the natural senses to a place in God that our natural senses cannot grasp. Faith is based on the eternal, invisible truths revealed by God’s Word. There can only be one true and proper source of faith: the Word of God. If faith is not built upon the Word, it is not true faith, and can never stand the storms and tests of life.

Living From the Well of Faith

The written Word must become the “quickened” Word in order to create faith. That is, it must come alive within our hearts, not simply be recognized as true in our minds. A study of the faith heroes in Hebrews 11 shows that each of them received faith by a word from God. They were first moved or inspired to become all they were called to be, and then enabled to do all they were appointed to do.

Faith is the channel by which we receive from God all that is needed. It rises to embrace, as one’s own, the provision from God through His grace. All spiritual life and every blessing comes to us through this connection of faith.

Therefore, I encourage all of us to dig into the Word of God and establish a well within us. As we do, we will grow in our faith and progress from one level of faith to the next: from faith to faith, and from one place of glory to a higher place. From glory to glory.

Let us remember that this faith is a gift from God, and that every child of God has been given a measure of faith. When this kind of faith begins to operate in a church, ordinary people start doing mighty exploits for the Kingdom of God, including taking back what has been lost or stolen by the enemy of our souls.

One such exploit is this: taking possession of what has been revealed to us in God’s Word as our right and privilege as followers of our Mighty Champion, the Lord Jesus Christ.

Digging the Well

If we want to draw from the well of faith, we must dig. That begins with the Word of God.

Take some time this week to read through Hebrews 11. Ask the Holy Spirit to bring the Word to life in your spirit and to stir faith in your heart.

Ask Him to remove anything that has blocked the flow of faith in your life. Let Him re-dig that well within you.

Then stand. Faith is not based on emotions or circumstances. It is anchored in who God is and the certainty of His Word.

Take Him at His Word. As you do, faith will begin to grow. Keep digging, and it will become a deep well you can draw from throughout your life.

If this reflection spoke to you, would you subscribe and share it with one person who might need it today?

You can explore more teaching and resources at Restoring the Wells

Next week, we’ll explore The Well of Praise — a reflection on the power of lifting our voices to God, building a well of joy and strength that overflows in every season.

There are wells the Lord calls us to dig or reopen throughout our lives, places of encounter and intimacy that sustain a deep, authentic walk with Him. Some of these wells we return to again and again. One of the most essential is the secret place of prayer, where we meet with God alone, behind closed doors. Here, we turn to the words of Jesus and the example of those who walked with Him, to rediscover the well of personal prayer.

In last week’s reflection, we looked at why it matters to dig deep spiritual wells. One of the first, and most essential, is the well of intimacy with God found in the secret place of prayer.

Have you ever wondered why the Bible gives so few details about the prayers of Jesus when He went up the mountainside to be alone with His Father? I believe the answer is found in His own teaching on prayer, in what we call the Sermon on the Mount.

“But when you pray, go into your most private room, and, closing the door, pray to your Father who is in secret, and your Father who sees in secret will reward you in the open.” Matthew 6:6

In that moment, Jesus gave us a direct invitation to meet with God, and we can consider this simple counsel from the Lord Jesus about the need for us to be alone with the Father.

Spiritual growth depends a great deal on prayer. There is no substitute for personal, private time with the Father. In the words of Jesus above, we find three vital truths, each one a key to a prayer life that produces results.

Be Alone With God

“But when you pray, go into your most private room, and, closing the door...”

This is the first principle. While corporate prayer has its place and can be powerful, there are times when the door must be shut, when the world is left outside, and I commune undisturbed with my Father. Throughout Scripture, we see that when God met with His people, He drew them away to be alone with Him.

Consider these examples:

“So the men turned from there and went toward Sodom, but Abraham still stood before the Lord. Then Abraham drew near and said, ‘Will you indeed sweep away the righteous with the wicked?’” Genesis 18:22–23

“Then Abraham said to his young men, ‘Stay here with the donkey; I and the boy will go over there and worship and come again to you.’” Genesis 22:5

“Thus the Lord used to speak to Moses face to face, as a man speaks to his friend.” Exodus 33:11

Let your first thought in that solitary place be, God and I are here in this room together.

Be In The Presence Of Your Father

“...pray to your Father, who is in secret...”

That’s the second key. You come alone because your Father, with His love, is already waiting there for you. Even if you feel cold or sinful, even if your mind is foggy or your life in turmoil, even then, draw near to Him. He is waiting for you. He sees it all, and He reaches out to you in the midst of your circumstances. He longs to commune with you. Rest under the light of His gaze. Believe in His tender, fatherly love. Out of that place, faith will rise, cleansing will come, and true prayer will be born.

Be Certain Of An Answer

“...and your Father, who sees in secret, will reward you in the open.”

Jesus promised it: “Your Father will reward you openly.” The power of prayer rests in the faith and certainty that God hears it. This knowing gives us the courage to pray and to keep praying. It is faith that brings the comfort and peace of being in the Father’s presence. The moment I understand that God hears me, I will pray and persevere in prayer. My God will hear me. What a wonderful certainty. It isn’t because I am worthy or wonderful; it is always and only because of who He is. There are thousands of witnesses to that fact. We have all had experiences of this in our lives. And Jesus Himself came from heaven with this message: if we ask, the Father will give.

If you struggle with this, consider meditating on these Scriptures for assurance:

“But know that the Lord has set apart the godly for himself; the Lord hears when I call to him.” Psalm 4:3

“I call upon you, for you will answer me, O God; incline your ear to me; hear my words.” Psalm 17:6

“For a people shall dwell in Zion, in Jerusalem; you shall weep no more. He will surely be gracious to you at the sound of your cry. As soon as he hears it, he answers you.” Isaiah 30:19

A Word From Andrew Murray

Andrew Murray once wrote words that still call us back to this place of hidden communion:

“If there is one thing about which you must be conscientious, it is this—secret conversation with God. Your life is hidden with Christ in God. Every day you must, in prayer, ask from above and by faith receive what you need for that day. Every day, personal communion with the Father and the Lord Jesus must be renewed and strengthened. God is our salvation and our strength. Christ is our life and our holiness. Only in personal fellowship with the living God is our blessedness found.”

Reopening The Well Of Personal Prayer

The secret place is not a side note. It is a central well that nourishes the rest of our life in God. As we continue to dig the ancient wells of intimacy and surrender, may this well of personal prayer be freshly uncovered in your life. Let this be a season of returning to the quiet room, shutting the door, and encountering the Father who sees in secret and rewards in the open.

If this reflection spoke to you, would you subscribe and share it with one person who might need it today?

You can explore more teaching and resources at Restoring the Wells

Next week, we’ll explore The Well of Faith — a reflection on trusting God’s unchanging nature and standing firm on His Word, even when what we see doesn’t yet align with what He has promised.

Whether you’re in a season of growth or hardship, I pray this reflection calls you back to the secret place, the only source of living water that never runs dry.

Have you ever wondered how the great men and women of God got to where they are? What their lives are really like when they’re not on a stage or behind a pulpit? How they became so steadfast, so unwavering in their faith? What do they have that we don’t?

The answer is simple, though it took me years to apply it in my own life.

They don’t have anything we don’t.

God is not partial to man.

“God shows no partiality, but in every nation, anyone who fears Him and does what is right is acceptable to Him.”
(Acts 10:34–35)

What they have done, what they’ve learned to do, is dig. They’ve discovered the secret to walking the narrow road of the Christian life and staying faithful to the end. While many of us dig pits, some so deep we get lost in them for a season, they’ve chosen a different path. They’ve learned to dig wells.

I’ve dug pits. Big ones. Sometimes with my eyes wide open, and sometimes blindly, foolishly, led by my own pain or pride, unable to see the outcome of my headstrong choices. I’ve dug my own grave and then fallen into it, more than once.

But by the abounding grace that has leapt over mountains and rivers to find me, and the fierce love of Jesus that pushed down walls, stormed the enemy’s camp, and retrieved me from the bottom of a pit, wrenching me out even in my startled confusion, by that alone I stand today on solid ground, with arms lifted high in worship and a mouth filled with praise. All I can say is thank you.

But I do sometimes wish I hadn’t had to learn the hard way. That Jesus didn’t have to rescue me over and over from the pits I dug for myself. With all that furious digging I was doing, I wish instead I’d learned to dig deep, restorative wells. Not just in the good seasons, but in the sunshine and the rain, in the mundane and in the joy. When life is good and it all makes sense, and when it is hard and nothing does.

Deep wells are the secret to a fruitful, grounded Christian life. And the difference between a pit and a well isn’t just in the digging, but in the purpose. Pits swallow you. Wells sustain you. One buries. The other revives.

And the Christian life was never meant to be lived pit to pit. We were meant to live connected to the source, drawing on the life of God again and again as we journey forward.

Why wells?

In ancient Hebrew culture, wells weren’t optional. They weren’t decorative or symbolic, they were a matter of survival. When God’s people moved through the land, they dug. They didn’t wait for water to rise to the surface. They searched and they dug, carving a course of fresh water for themselves and their families. They dug because they knew there was life beneath the ground, and without that living water, they couldn’t keep going.

Spiritually, it’s the same. We cannot survive on yesterday’s breakthrough or someone else’s encounter with God. We need our own well. We need water for today. And to get it, we must dig.

Digging a well takes time. It takes intention. It takes effort. Sometimes it happens in seasons of joy, sometimes in seasons of heartbreak, and sometimes in dry, in-between places. But every well we dig is an act of trust, a declaration that God is who He says He is, and that He will meet us here.

What does it mean to dig?

To dig is to press in when it would be easier to walk away. It’s showing up in the secret place when no one else sees.

Sometimes it looks like turning off the noise and opening your Bible. Sometimes it looks like taking the low road in a moment of conflict, or carving out time for prayer when your body is tired and your mind would rather be distracted by a screen.

But even in making these moment-to-moment choices, it’s not about performance. It’s about posture. It’s about searching for Him.

What this series is about

Over the coming weeks, we’ll be sharing a series on what it means to dig spiritual wells in Christ, the disciplines, decisions, and heart postures that make room for the presence of God to dwell in and among us.

Because when trials come, and they will come, we need deep wells of life to draw from. Whether you feel stuck in the wilderness, standing on a mountaintop, or wandering somewhere in between, learning how to dig and tap into those wells is what keeps us connected to the Living Water, our source and great reward, Jesus the Messiah.

So let’s pick up our shovels and go back to the secret place.

Let’s dig.

If this reflection spoke to you, would you subscribe and share it with one person who might need it today?

You can explore more teaching and resources at Restoring the Wells

Next week, we’ll explore In My Secret Place — a reflection on the well of personal prayer, where intimacy with God is cultivated behind closed doors and where every other well in our lives begins.