According to the Word of God, everything and every matter has:

A time.

AND.

A season.

(Ecclesiastes 3:1)

AND. It’s a little, 3 letter word that says so much. A simple coordinating conjunction. A connector of persons, places, things or ideas. An indicator that one thing is transitioning into another thing.

Transitions are hard. Ask any mother who’s given birth. After carrying- and caring for the child in her womb for 9 months, a woman’s body enters into labor. AND then, a time of transition. Transition is filled with tremendous pain and pressure. There’s no going around it. She must go through it. In order to produce life, she must persevere. AND, she must push, when the time is right.

In the midst of intensely painful and pressure filled transitions of life, it’s not uncommon for us, mere humans to become disoriented or discouraged. Some of us may even find it necessary to disassociate (“automatic psychological defense mechanism to protect the mind from overwhelming stress, fear or trauma”) to cope. Disassociating may help us survive- for a season. But it was never meant to become a place we permanently dwell. Doing so will inevitably cause our house to divide. And we all know what the Word has to say about that!

A house (a heart) divided against itself cannot stand.

The human heart was never meant to sub-divide in the midst of transition; separating soul AND spirit. To do so is to live half-heartedly. Never being fully seen, fully known and fully loved by God… AND others.

But here’s the thing: a house can choose to live in the spirit, while simultaneously denying the soul. It can pray, and preach, and prophesy. It can know the Father’s will, the Son’s mind and the Spirits emotions (expressing what He’s feeling; joy, grief, laughter, tears..) It can also perform all kinds of good works.

But it’s still divided.

And cannot stand.

A house can also choose to live in the soul, while simultaneously denying the spirit. It can pretend or play games or push through painful seasons prematurely. It can know its own will, its own mind, and its own emotions. It can also perform to please all kinds of people (self, included).

But it’s still divided.

And cannot stand.

But a house can also choose to live in the spirit AND the soul. It can love God with all its heart (spirit + soul), embracing His divinity AND humanity. It can know that it is made in the image of God AND remain rooted and grounded in the Father’s love (identity). It can walk humbly and honestly through the pain and pressure of transition while honoring God, itself and others. How? It continues opening the door to the One who continues knocking. It continues inviting Him into every room of the house. It continues welcoming His connection and correction and conviction. It covers nothing. It blames no one; people or principalities and powers of darkness. Instead, it confesses and repents. Its forgiven and forgives.

Here’s the Truth that I’ve come to know about my own heart, my friend:

A house divided against itself will never stand.

(Matthew 12:25-29)

But a house built on the rock, will never fall.

(Matthew 7:24-27)

Because…His love for us never fails.

(Psalm 136)