Faith has never been a straight line for me. I also believe that the scriptures show us that following Jesus is less about a single moment and more about a journey—one marked by steps forward, struggles, surprising encounters, and seasons of deeper purpose. We are converted and transformed through several stages that we journey through.
Over time, as a Pastor and as I have studied many other models trying to map the Christian journey, I’ve noticed four familiar signposts that shape this journey: calling, challenge, catalytic moments, and convergence. Each of these stages has its own rhythm, and often we find ourselves circling through them more than once as God continues to form us. These four stages are oversimplified, and they are meant to be so that it doesn’t become a formula or some metric, and so that it can become memorable in the contexts in which I serve.
In every stage of faith (calling, challenge, catalytic moments, and convergence), the journey in that stage begins with awareness as God’s leading is revealed. That awareness calls for acceptance, which is soon tested through adversity, exposing where growth is still needed. Out of that testing comes adaptation, as life shifts into a deeper obedience and a new way of living with Jesus.
You can read more about my thoughts on that in detail on the Lead a Quiet Life blog on Patheos.
What has surprised me most is how the Lord’s Prayer intersects with this journey.
- By praying the Lord’s Prayer with our stage in mind, I believe it can help us navigate the four A’s of each stage—awareness, acceptance, adversity, and adaptation.
- It keeps us saying yes to Jesus again and again, no matter what stage we’re in.
- It takes on fresh meaning in each season of life, teaching us to pray with honesty, hope, and dependence.
- And it drives us toward humility and downward mobility, shaping us into people who can step more fully into convergence, where our lives overflow for the sake of others.
On my Lead a Quiet Life blog on Patheos, I recently shared how these stages reflect both Scripture and the story of Jesus’ disciples. From Peter’s calling by the sea to his convergence at Pentecost, the story of faith is always one of movement, learning, and transformation.
If you’d like to explore this more fully, you can read the Lead a Quiet Life blog on Patheos
