Unsettled

Last week a friend sent me a Facebook message.  She's a woman whose known the Lord for quite a few years.  She's seen a lot of adversity in her relationship with the Lord.  Some adversity from decisions she's made and some from the decisions others have made that have negatively affected her.  And in the end, she's  always seen the Lord rescue her from her adversity and make her a stronger, more solid woman of God.

In her message, she wrote about an estranged friend, "I am still praying and at this point specifically that God would touch her heart & give her an UNSETTLED feeling inside that would speak measures to her heart."

Personally, I don't ever remember praying that way before.  Praying for unsettledness is foreign to me.  Why would I do that?  Isn't that just asking for trouble?

Then, I was looking through my husband's Nook the other day and stumbled upon the first chapter of a book I had downloaded for free months ago, "Made to Crave: 60 Days to Craving God, Not Food," by Christian Author & Speaker, Lysa TerKeurst.  Guess what the title to Day 1 was entitled, "UNSETTLED."  There was that silly word again.  What was up?  Clearly God is trying to point something out to me.  Reading on, Lysa wrote:

Unsettle me in the best kind of way.  For when I allow Your touch to reach the deepest parts of me - dark and dingy and hidden away too long - suddenly a fresh wind of life twists and twirls and dances through my soul.

I always thought to be unsettled was a bad thing.  But both of these women, grounded in their Christian faith and who have seen much adversity look at this word , UNSETTLED, as a good thing.  Even the world's definition says of unsettled, "Not in a state of order or calmness; disturbed."

Reflecting on the Scriptures, I am coming to realize that adversity and trials should not be looked upon as something bad or to be avoided.

• Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character, and character, hope.  Romans 5:3, 4
• Count it all joy, my brothers, when you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance.  Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.  James 1:1-4

There are two examples of God telling us to welcome struggles in our life.  Dare we, as the two Christian women have referenced, ask God for unsettledness?

I guess it all boils down to, are you willing to be pruned and molded into the person the Lord has designed you to be?  If you are and you desire a closer intimacy with your Creator, then you must be willing to ask Him to unsettle you a little (and maybe a lot).  Move you.  Grow you.  Pick at you.  Show you where you have faults.  Make you aware of your icky-ness.  So that in the end, you can be cleansed by Him and developed into a solid, sturdy, more beautiful woman.

If this is your heart's desire today, pray this prayer,

Dear Lord, 

Make me a courageous woman 

who isn't afraid to ask for unsettledness in my life. 

I know unsettledness will develop me 

into a person with inner beauty & character. 

And, Lord, I want to be beautiful for You.

In Jesus, Name.  Amen.