Often, when I encounter a recurring theme in my thoughts and prayers it’s time to dig deeper.

One day, mulling this over, I saw an image of a thick wall, multiple layers of stone and brick deep. The wall was slowly being taken down with a hammer and a chisel. The wall was being broken. Piece by piece. Layer by layer.I recognized to break through, something has to be broken down – torn apart – dismantled. Existing obstacles must be eradicated to see the other side – the THROUGH – the next thing.

This mental image brought clarity and confirmation. I’d been taken aback by the uncomfortable feelings that have accompanied me for most of this year while continually praying for this breakthrough.The process of breaking through is a painful one: something is standing in the way of the next step – an obstacle. We know a stone wall isn’t built in a day, hence the breaking through doesn’t usually happen in a day, either.

Here’s the problem; if we don’t push through we get stuck. We’ll end up going backwards. We’ll end up in the same spot, needing the same breakthrough. I’ve watched people dear to me walk in circles continually coming back to the same things that are hindering them from going further. I’ve done that, we’ve all done that.

Then I turned attention on the state of my heart. “Create in me a clean heart” is often my prayer, but as I began to pray that with all sincerity what happened was that the parts needing change came into light. They were bold and glaring in my face. After all, I’ve been praying for this, right?

I’ve begun to invite the Lord in to “that” place – the “yuck” that seems to be an ache I keep ignoring. Every time I ignore it, it comes back up in thoughts or attitudes or words. But what I know is that the Lord is ultimately engaged and concerned with the state of our hearts.

If I come to him with genuine desire and ask for a clean heart – a right heart followed by right motives and actions, He is going to make it right. He’s going to show me what needs to be done.

Back to the Breakthrough, it’s as though I can hear God say, “Cyle, we are breaking through here to the next thing  I have for you and your family. In order to do that we are BREAKING OFF, and chipping away at things that stand in the way.  There is always a next thing, for all of us.

And I’ve returned to a posture of humility, recognizing God as the source of all things good, the Director of my life and the Orchestrator of things for me. I won’t lie: the process sometimes hurts. It’s like a doctor visit, but the act of confessing, and laboring into God’s rest – trusting Him with the results – brings peace. I know He’s got it and will take care of it.