The Call To Holiness

I re-read through one of my favorite mystery novels last week, and I felt the Lord say, “Dawna, I need you to put this book down.” A little confused, I asked, “Why?” He said, “I’m calling you into a new season of holiness. These books won’t get you there.”

I was shocked. For about twenty years, I had been reading mystery novels as an innocent hobby. I made sure to avoid graphic material, so the stories I read were quite tame.

But God challenged me to up my standards in this season. As I set the book aside, He said, “I want you to go through your personal library and throw out the books I tell you.”

Although some of these stories were personal favorites, I nevertheless followed His command. By the end, I had disposed a handful of books.

Why the Call to Holiness is so Important

2022 already so far has been a challenging year for prayer. After a 2-year pandemic and now a sudden war, the temptation might be to view this season as the devil’s playtime. But the Lord wants us to come up to His level so we can see the enemy is beneath His feet.

I want to encourage you in this season to embrace God’s call to holiness. As we separate ourselves from sin (even what seems innocent), we’ll be able to stay tucked up under the Lord’s wings and rebuke darkness.

Ask the Lord what you can do this week to strengthen your relationship with Him. Remove any podcasts, streaming channels, or news stations that might be pulling you away from a stronger connection with God.

Even the most innocent escapes can become dangerous if we allow them to take up space in our hearts. (You’ll know if something has become destructive if you’re unwilling to give it up.) If God reveals an issue to you, tear it out by the root.