Finding the Trailhead

What do you do when you can't seem to find God? Many people who are captivated by the message of living in the Father's affection have a difficult time connecting with him relationally. Instead of experiencing the reality of his love, they feel isolated and abandoned. Admittedly it isn't always easy to see how God wants to connect with our heart, especially if we've been blinded by the performance demands of religion or carry deep disappointments about things in our life we think God responsible for. Following up on an earlier podcast, Wayne and Brad talk about that heart connection that God that is the critical trailhead to going on this journey and also tackle some listener email about how we help others, children or new believers, become disciples on this journey.

8 Comments

  1. Thanks for this podcast – I really appreciated it.

    The shift from the focus on what I must do to what He has in His heart for us and His desire to draws us to Himself is so essential.

    Great podcast – just made a second copy a I handing it on.

    Blessing from South Australia

  2. This podcast brought me answers to many questions I’ve had asked myself for a long time. In some moments, tears came to my eyes while I was listening to it because understanding God better make me able to get closer to him and realize how amazing He is and connect with his love.

    Thanks so much!

    Greetings from Brazil

  3. I love the golf analogy and the analogy to the Aunt.

    It seems so strange how we have systematized and intellectualized our relationship with Jesus. And yet I find it so hard to embrace the simplicity of living in him, day by day. My head keeps saying, “It can’t be that simple.” To take up the golf analogy, many of us who grew up in “Organized Golf” have had years and years of learning Golf History, Golf Strategy, Golf Made Easy For the Non-Golfer, How to Win Your Friends to Golf, Proper Club Selection, Clubhouse Etiquette, The 5 Principles of Proper Golf Club Torque and Swing, Which Golf Courses You Should NEVER Play On… NEVER!! Proper Golfing Buddy Selection… And maybe we took an occasional field trip to watch people play Golf, but rarely ever did it ourselves.

    So here I am, with clubs in hand, with all that past training, standing at the tee on the first hole and I find myself so often at a loss for what to do next. Thank you, Papa, that you invite me to just step out on the green and see what happens next.

  4. Good stuff. This one really spoke to me. I liked the reminder (which I hear often in your podcasts) that we must always hold to the reality that God loves us. We cannot judge God or His love by any circumstance or experience we may have.

  5. I have heard much of this in one form or another through other podcasts or your books, Wayne, but it is always great to be reminded. I can’t say for certain that I have found my own trailhead yet. I know I am closer than have ever been, as I have seen radical change in my perspective over the last six months and have begun to learn to live loved. Yet I am still missing that “it” factor. Your words ring true and I can fully grasp their meaning, but I think a part of me is still holding on to Self, unwilling to fully commit to His love. However, I am encouraged whenever I am reminded that it takes time to “get there” and I should just be patient while continuing to ask Him to reveal Himself to me. Thank you again.

  6. Wow, guys, this podcast could not have been timelier! I, just last week, sent Wayne an email on this EXACT subject! My mom and I have been struggling with the aloneness and the Bible study aspect of this journey since we started back in May of this year. Sara graciously answered the email and then THIS podcast, so I think I see God doing something here! Thank you for being in tune with Him! I can’t wait to take this podcast to my mom for her to hear. She has been really lost as to what to do for Bible study. This will help her, I’m sure! Love you guys. It sure would be nice if you could make your way to the Northeastern section of Maryland sometime. Thanks again.
    In His grip,
    Carol

  7. Thanks for the trailhead thoughts. I love how many times you two put words to my thoughts and make it sound so clear. Here is where I am wrestling though. I am a school teacher and a teacher at heart. what I learn I love to share. I am struggling at not trying to “push” others to the trailhead and teach them what i have learned. Wayne, you addressed this a bit with your comments about your 160+ step discipleship process.
    I feel I am learning (very slowly) to decipher when the Holy Spirit or God’s compassion is welling up in me and I feel the need to initiate a conversation or turn a conversation toward the language of living loved and when it is my need to teach.
    Has anyone else been forced to apologize to your friends that are not on the same journey or at least not at the same place in the journey because you couldn’t keep your mouth shut and trust God to get them to the trailhead if that’s where they needed to be?
    If so, any hints in how you came to trust God to do his work without your gifts?
    It reminds me of “Jake’s Journey” where John tells Jake not to try to teach the things he is learning before lives them.
    Any insights would be great.

  8. Hi guys ….love this conversation….God is really untangling things in me ( so many religious knots ) so i can know Him as the loving Abba…can you put me in contact with people that know they are loved here in South Africa ( i live in Cape Town) so i can hangout with them ?
    Thanks to both of you… love listening …helps me on this journey
    Gabriel

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