Seasons of Faith*

Season 1New life; New

awareness of God

Season 2A Worshiper &

Learner

Season 3A Worshiper &

Servant

Season 4The Journey Inward

the

Wal

l

Season 5The Journey

Outward

Season 6A life of

love

* This chart is adapted from The Critical Journey, Stages in the Life of Faith (by Janet O. Hagberg and Robert A. Guelich. © 2005, 1995. Sheffield Publishing Co. Salem, Wisconsin. p. 7) and Emotionally Healthy Spirituality (by Peter Scazzero. © 2006. Thomas Nelson publishers. p. 119). Used by permission.

Seasons of FaithSUMMARY OF THE WALL*

The mystery of our will meeting God’s will face to face.

Types of Resistance to the WallStrong egos

Self-deprecatorsGuilt/shame-ridden

IntellectualsHigh achievers

DoctrinaireOrdained

Going through the WallDiscomfort: “the dark night of the soul,” a time of feeling... alone, searching and not finding, or grieving and feeling a loss. Sometimes we feel so alone we think God has left us. Sitting alone in dark ambiguity is the result. These oppressive feelings and experiences are initially very much apart of the Wall.

Surrender: Something is always given up... It usually is something central to one’s identity. Giving up does not mean losing. It does mean release and detachment in whatever form it takes.

Healing: It is impossible to get through the Wall without recognizing past and present parts of us in need of psychological and spiritual healing and transformation. God does the healing as we sit humbly before the Presence and obediently follow God’s agenda, and agenda that may not make sense to our common sense.

Awareness, Forgiveness, Acceptance, Love: There seems to be a four-phase movement – in one’s self and toward others. It begins with an awareness of our shadow sides and hidden parts. These frequently are those things we see in other people that we do not like. It means being aware of all the lies we have accepted about ourselves and our families and all the myths of life that never were true. It means finding out who we are as opposed to who the world wants us to be.

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* Abridged text from The Critical Journey, Stages in the Life of Faith, by Janet O. Hagberg and Robert A. Guelich. © 2005, 1995. Sheffield Publishing Co. Salem, Wisconsin. Used by permission.

Seasons of FaithSUMMARY OF THE WALL (CONTINUED)*

Closeness to God: We experience God in a new and different way as we move through the Wall. Even when we feel God is absent, we sense that we are being kept on the journey. We sense that we are in the process, especially if we are being guided by another... In the previous stages, we believed intensely in God... We felt very connected as long as things were under control or made sense. But now we find ourselves naked, defenseless, and vulnerable so that we sense God’s love and presence in a new way. There is more of us available to feel, to be real, to let go, and to let show.

Discernment: It means we suspend judgment, knowing, analyzing, or reverting to the tried and true–the good, old way. It may mean learning that all the good we thought we were doing was really a form of diversion from what God wants us to do or be. It means taking a risk and really listening to God in new ways...

Melting, Molding: The melting and molding with fire and wax are excellent analogies of the Wall experience. Before the filling and using comes the time of melting and molding... Our soul pants for the Lord and waits in awe and expectation for God’s presence.

Solitude and reflection: We must set aside time for solitude – time to walk, to listen to God’s voice, to think, to feel, and to reflect. This, too, is highly individual, since one person’s way of experiencing God differs from another’s.

* Abridged text from The Critical Journey, Stages in the Life of Faith, by Janet O. Hagberg and Robert A. Guelich. © 2005, 1995. Sheffield Publishing Co. Salem, Wisconsin. Used by permission.