Faith at this Stage is…

• Our will facing God’s will and choosing whether or not to surrender

Characteristics at this Stage include…
Knowing it’s time to face the truth
Letting God’s will be our will
Uncovering our deepest fears
Considering unconditional love
Feeling like we’re in the muck
The “dark night of the soul”

Beliefs/Behavior at this Stage include…

• Can’t go on with inner life
• Time to face my fears about God; time to heal
• Start/stop struggle
  

Goal at this Stage is to…

• Survive so we can live out heart’s deepest desire

Role of the Church

• Direct people to resources; encourage them, pray with them
• Caution: Resist trying to rescue, save, guilt or shame people; encourage them to face the wall

Role of the Minister, Priest, Spiritual Leader

• Same as the church’s role; we’re all in this together

Role of the Creeds

• A thread can be a life line
• Sometimes others need to carry the faith for the person at the wall
• Sense of Grace
• Love, one day at a time
  

Type of Personal Involvement

• Involvement in one’s own inner work

Stuckness at this Stage: Avoidance of the Wall

• Anything to deny its existence
• Go back to an earlier stage for relief
• Abandon faith and the inner search; drop out

Ways to Move Forward

• Pray for courage and clarity to stay with process
• Experience discomfort, surrender, healing, awareness, forgiveness, acceptance and love
• Closeness to God
• Discernment, melting, molding, solitude and reflection

Group Reflection:

• Biblical Examples/References for this Stage?
• How Jesus Treated People at this Stage?
• Hymns for this Stage?

Stage Five

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