Proximity Doesn’t Equal Transformation | The Rule of Life Series, Pt. 2

Text Michele

Ever felt stuck spiritually even after years of church sermons, Bible study, and worship? You're not alone. In today’s micro-episode, we tackle a sneaky truth: proximity to the truth doesn’t mean formation by the truth. We’re trying out a new micro-learning format — short, powerful reviews and reflections to help the teachings sink deeper, reframe your thinking, and spark real transformation, not just information overload! 

Truth doesn’t change us by osmosis; it requires our cooperation, our slowing down, and our surrender. Today, Michele walks you through a couple of reflective questions to spot where you might be “near” the truth but not yet formed by it, and then ends with a prayer inviting the Holy Spirit to shape you from the inside out. Join us for this short, reflective episode to help launch your week with clarity and fresh fire.

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Welcome to Today’s Kus Word — where life coaching meets spiritual formation! Join musician, life coach, and spiritual formation prof Michele Kus, as she serves up short, powerful teachings, immersive meditations, bold declarations, and holy f(reedom)-bombs that are based solidly in scripture, grace theology, and positive psychology. Whether you’re seeking calm, clarity, courage, growth, deeper self-awareness, or just a fresh Kingdom perspective, throw on your headphones every Monday through Friday and tune into your next breakthrough. #TodaysKusWord

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Episode Transcript

Michele (00:00):
It's Monday, April 28th , and this is Today's Kus Word.
I'm Michele Kus, your spiritualgrowth coach, popping in on
your Monday for a surprise visitand a quick Kus Word to center
your soul and launch you intothis week with grace and truth

(00:22):
and a little holy fire.
So happy Monday, friends.
I hope you had a wonderfulweekend and I want to try
something new this week.
I dropped a good 30 minuteteaching on Friday and I am
actually a big believer in microlearning, which is learning in

(00:44):
short, little nuggets, and Ithink it's just easier for
people to retain informationthat way.
So this week I'm going to trysomething new.
I'm going to drop some shortepisodes on Monday, Tuesday,
Wednesday and Thursday that arejust little review nuggets from

(01:06):
the longer teaching that Idropped on Friday.
So if you listened to that oneand then you had a busy full
weekend like I did, it's easy toforget a lot of the things that
you heard on Friday.
So this week we're just goingto have some short episodes and
review some of the main pointsfrom Friday's longer episode.

(01:28):
And so today the Kus Word thatI want to share with you is

this (01:33):
Proximity to the truth doesn't always mean formation by
the truth.
So, remember, you can sit inchurch for 20 years and never
really be spirituallytransformed.
You can memorize all thescripture, you can sing all the

(01:54):
worship songs and sit throughall the sermons but still feel
spiritually stuck.
Because proximity to the truthdoesn't mean formation by the
truth.
Just because you're near thetruth doesn't necessarily mean
that it's getting inside of you.

(02:15):
Truth doesn't actually changeus automatically.
It doesn't happen by proximityor osmosis.
It actually happens by ourcooperation and our surrender to
it.
Truth changes us when we slowdown long enough to let it get

(02:36):
inside of us and saturate ourhearts and reframe our thinking
and reshape who we are and ourhabits.
So it's not about hearing morestuff.
It's about surrendering to thetruth and letting it get deeply
inside of us.
The goal is we want to beformed spiritually formed and

(03:02):
not just informed.
We want to be formed, not justinformed.
So here's a couple questions foryou to think about today.
Where in your life have yousettled for being near the truth
, but maybe not letting itreally get deeply inside you?

(03:26):
And where might God be invitingyou to slow down, to linger a
little, to listen for his voiceand to let that truth sink in
deeply?
Where are those places in yourlife?
So those are a couple of thingsfor you to think about today,

(03:48):
and let me pray for you as youlaunch out into your day.
Holy Spirit, we don't want tojust hover around your truth, we
want to be changed by it.
So slow us down, form us, notjust inform us.
Saturate our hearts with whatis real and what is eternal.

(04:11):
Let your word take root in ustoday.
Shape us from the inside out.
We say yes to whatever you wantto do in us today.
We pray this in the beautifulname of Jesus.
Amen.
Thanks for joining me on thisquick micro episode and I'll see

(04:34):
you again tomorrow.