Sanctification: The Road Less Traveled
Personally speaking and thus far in my life, understanding the process of sanctification has been more of a dark and winding road with cliff edges and detours, flat tires and roadkill. I’ve constantly begged from the backseat, chanting, "Arrival, arrival, arrival", while God keeps saying, "Journey, journey, journey."
I’ve long wanted to get ‘there’ so badly (wherever ‘there’ even is), all so I could…
Be the first to get to my destination? Say I made it? Check the box?
It almost sounds silly, doesn’t it? Funny how the earthly reward we're often stewing over, never seems as grandiose when it's shared out loud.
Whether you’re a stop and smell the roses type, a speedster, or move at the pace of molasses, the journey of a true soul leader (and any Christian for that matter) is never exempt from the unending process of sanctification.
In a way, sanctification is a lot like the rest areas you never want to pull over for because you’re determined to shave those precious five minutes off of your travel time. Inevitably, someone in the car demands a restroom, or you end up stuck in traffic; not getting there any faster anyway.
Spiritually speaking, rest areas are our quiet time, our constant dialogue when there is no ‘quiet time’ to be had, and the speaking out of scripture and biblical truths that help us to renew our minds.
In our seasons of impatience and forcing you'd think we'd take all the pit-stops we could get; allowing ourselves to check-in and evaluate. But self-doubt and self-reliance often bypass rest areas. We become so bent on just getting ‘there’, we don't see the value of a take-five along the way.
We so badly want to be unstuck by all the log-jam that's supposedly holding us back, that we’re willing to break all sound advice in lieu of potentially “wasting” any more time. The fear of missing out (or #FOMO) overtakes us and we turn a blind eye to the thoughts and behaviors that ultimately end up hurting us down the road.
Worse still, is somewhere along the trip when we start to feel left behind. Maybe you were the only one that took a wrong turn, or maybe you got sick and couldn’t go on that adventure, or maybe you missed your ride completely. Your resources and resolve are low and you start wondering how you're going to get back on course - alone.
What I’ve started to learn is that God doesn’t care so much about the time it takes to get to our destination, not because our dreams and desires aren’t important to him, but because they are important to Him and He’s willing to sit them out with us and make it right.
He calls us up from the backseat, claiming "shotgun"; playing both radio DJ and navigator the entire way. He's always willing to step up and guide us where we're meant to go from wherever we may be.
That turning point moment is a lot like sanctification. It feels like being lost at first, only to drop all your excess baggage, toss the dated map, regain a GPS signal, and start moving with ease despite it being a battered and bumpy road.
From right next to you, God is leaning over saying, “Fear not. I am with you. I will wait for you. I will help you. I will comfort you. I will guide you."
He's not selling us a too-good-to-be-true vacation package, but delicately directing us, as an imperfect person who is perfectly loved, right from the lane we're in.
God can use even our most off-course of moments, to stretch and sanctify us, demonstrating His might and mercy.
As women and as leaders, hoping to propel forward in many avenues of our lives, I think that's our role to boldly live out--that we can come to our fellow sisters, our families, and our co-workers, even in fear and trembling [1 Corinthians 2], but still acting strong and courageous, because we know that we know that we know, our faith rests in the mighty hand of God at work in our lives, and not in our ability to control the outcome of our work.
The fearless, faithful, soul-leader that is present somewhere in all of us, waiting to be enlivened and embraced, comes not in our own strength, but in willing dedication and devotion to the process of sanctification.
Walk fast, walk slow, walk at whatever pace with which peace pursues you.
If the journey is short, praise God. If the journey is long, praise God. Welcome a work in you of all shapes and sizes, because your reward in heaven is far better than getting anywhere on this earth first.
You're right where you're supposed to be, right on time.
To getting on the road again and again.
Kaitlyn V. Hiltz
Kaitlyn is a part-blogger, part-freelancer, while working professionally in the field of communications. She’s obsessed with the meeting point of sun & ocean on the horizon and tries to catch it whenever she can. She has a heart for encouraging others to rise up in who they are, what they’re called to do, and why. Keep in touch on her website and Instagram.
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