THE HOLY PLOD AGAINST THE BAIT AND TACKLE

Slow and steady, shining in the darkness

• Galations 6:9 “Let us not grow weary in well-doing, for in due season, we shall reap if we faint not.”

• A plod can actually be a holy thing!

  Following God beyond surface platitudes is like having your psyche and heart peeled like the layers of an onion.

• Raw, pungent, intense, disorienting, the realm of clinging to God in desperation and it is most assuredly FOR A HOLY PURPOSE!! This is not polite Christianity, this is deep, muddy, primal, primeval stuff. This is warrior Gothic stuff that is not tidy or pristine. This is spiritual YELLING stuff.

• I am a very strange combination of sprinter and plodder! I once ran the 50 yard dash in 6.8 seconds...This was likely 6th or 7th grade, long ago. Sprints I could do. The dreaded “660” run, not so much, struggling and nauseous over the lengthy race. I did not do well. That struggle over the long distance run has followed me all my life.

• Survivor I am, thriver, not so much. Struggle is what I know. THIS is absolutely the primal area in which Papa God, in His wisdom, is peeling off the onion layers that have entrapped and oppressed me all my life. When I speak of God being RELENTLESS, that is part of it. It is not a bad relentless, it is good relentless, toward the overwhelming saving of my soul, from the deep wounds of grief and defeat that have dogged me for 73 years. This is what the Bible calls the Refiner’s Fire.

• One thing I have profoundly learned about Papa God, since His bold request that I meet nightly with Him with notebook and pen, since December 2017 ( 2700 days now), is that He is actually approachable. Simply spending more time in His direct presence, listening, asking, pouring out my heart, writing what He tells me, is overwhelmingly powerful and builds relationship past the surface.

• Do I treat Him with reverence? Utterly and completely. Do I also treat Him with genuine love and respect as my Heavenly Papa? Yes!! Am I actually able to pour out my soul to Him without fear? Yes! That is fully grounded by my sincere respect. The “hanging-out” process builds a relationship between Father and daughter. Real, organic, not shallow. It has undergirded my efforts in amazing ways. Just to flop on the couch with Papa is phenomenal. This is the core foundation that allows me to continue forward through the Refiners Fire.

• Under the onion is...truth...but the process is rough. Many times I have felt I could not go on and prayed so hard for God to “ please just bring me Home...I cannot do this.” I am utterly astonished I am still alive at 73...I did not imagine I would survive to Elder age. Like I said, a combo of sprinter (short hops!) and plodder, taking short, small, determined and steady steps, not fancy nor impressive. Plods! (Please note that even PLODS do get somewhere, not with flashy but with steadiness and not giving up.)

• I will not harm myself...but my soul is rather exhausted.

• I saw the weariness on my face this week. When out doing errands, I saw my reflection in the store window...older age clear. Tired, weary of this world.

  I know the verses encouraging me to not stop if you grow weary in well-doing.

  I cling to God in desperation.

  Onion indeed....

• The devil specializes in blocking and tackling...throwing as many obstacles as possible in your path. It’s like he runs a “ bait and tackle” shop as he fishes for souls. He is very good at it...he knows your weaknesses. I have ruefully been at his (filthy, shambling, smelly) shop before, not a pleasant place, all surface junk and no depth, only hubris. The devil is a marketer of the darkness...he hides the unpleasant just beneath the surface, hoping you will not dig past an inch, to see his real face. Fortunately for me, Papa God and His Son have shovels that crush the devil. I have dug with Them and seen the unpleasant and ran away, right into God’s loving arms.

• One thing the devil CANNOT do is READ YOUR MIND. I always wondered about that...if he knows what each of us followers of God and His Son struggle with, is this how he has such influence and causes so much trouble?? He is not stupid...he can observe, he can listen to conversations and he can deduce some things...but mind-reading, he does not have that power. Hence:

  God is showing me a defensive tackle tactic which should be common sense...but somehow I stumble over it over and over. A plot, I tell you...it involves KEEPING YOUR MOUTH SHUT.

  Oh that...

  Sigh...

• As my onion gets peeled...it becomes obvious much of my trouble-trauma involves speaking so much defeat and despair.

  I know the drill...I have heard it for decades...” watch what you say” and an excellent admonition indeed. I do for a short while...and then fail again. My greatest weakness is square in the middle amidst my greatest gift (words, and the ability to string them together well). Another plot, I tell you!

• I wonder about the RANTS David had to God, in the book of Psalms...sometimes extremely raw and not remotely respectable. He had a reason to be mighty upset (being chased and threatened by Saul, who wanted him dead, living in caves, running and running...) He was quite loud and vociferous...and did not hold back.

• So what’s the deal?? Get the stink out verbally or hold it in and have a silent rant with Papa??? I am still figuring this out, learning by stumble. I can at least yell “HELP!” to God, while further discussing things with Him in silent prayer, so the devil does not know my situation further.

• I must dig...where’s my shovel??

  Onion peeling...very visceral stuff...

• My seat belt is never unfastened. The faith in God and His Son is visceral stuff, amidst the immense spiritual battle in the heavenlies. We participate in it, as we play the parts God assigned us in accord with the gifts He gave each of us.

  Can I use my gift of words for encouragement and not self condemnation??

• I must learn to do that, amidst the holy plod. Even as a sprinter who also plods, I can learn to work within my corner, using the mercy of God to help someone else in despair. Since I know it so very intimately, hopefully I can help someone else in the same throes...grab hold of God’s hand, cry out even in tears, ask for help. He does not pressure you to leap tall mountains or even tiny ones. One step, one step, one day, one day, one move forward. He sees it.

  Even a whisper, He hears...

  Wendy Elizabeth Williams, Friday, December 26, 2025

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