What do the times you grew the most spiritually have in common? Were they times of peace, or times of difficulty? Were they periods of intense thankfulness, or periods of near-despair?
I’d love to say that my deepest spiritual growth has occurred when my world was rosy, but it wouldn’t be true. Most of my more intense draw-near-to-God times happened when life drove me to my knees.
Difficulty can transport us from an airy acceptance of “Blessed are they who know their need of God” (Matthew 5:3) to a visceral understanding. It’s in the worst times that we’re aware that each moment of our lives, we’re making a decision: Do we turn toward God, or away from Him? Do we love Him because of the rewards He offers, or in spite of the difficulties we face?
One book that helped me tremendously during a tough time was Marion Bond West’s Praying for My Life.
Which books have helped you?
