Spiritual Journeys

Show me your ways Lord, teach me your paths.
 Guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Savior,
   and my hope is in you all day long.                                                                               Psalm 25:4-5

I was talking with a client recently about her anxiety, and the control she tends to exert in order to mitigate that anxiety. It works for her, to a degree, but it can be costly to her relationships. The reason for this is that she projects onto others, at times “the right way to do things.” While her systems and somewhat rigid rules are often helpful for her in controlling her environment, and therefore lowering her anxiety a bit, those around her sometimes feel controlled and judged by her.  

This is often invisible to her, and understandably so. She talked about her need to tell her husband where he was falling short Biblically, and she was sincere in wanting the best for him. Unfortunately, he has felt that he cannot honestly share his spiritual journey with her because he feels that she will try to veer him back onto the “right course” (her course).

This client began to see that trying to shape her husband’s spiritual journey is not her job, but that of the Holy Spirit. She needs to trust that the Spirit of God can do the things that she cannot do. She wants the best for her family, and she is sincerely working on this.

Bless her on this journey. You see, this is part of her spiritual journey as well, and to the extent that she can let go of her need to control her husband’s path, both will feel freer on that spiritual journey they are on.

Prayer: Lord, we trust that you can and will lead us into your ways because you love us, Amen.