What happens when God allows loss, or a closed door to become part of our spiritual formation?

In this episode, we look at the life and writings of François Fénelon, a 17th-century French archbishop, spiritual writer, and teacher whose life brought him close to power — and then into public correction, loss of influence, and surrender.

Fénelon's story raises a painful but necessary question:

Do we want God, or do we want the life we thought God was going to give us?

This episode explores spiritual ambition, detachment, surrender, humiliation, and the hidden work God may be doing when the visible assignment seems to disappear.

For anyone who has felt benched, misunderstood, corrected, or stripped of the thing they thought proved their calling, Fénelon offers a hard but hopeful reminder:

Sometimes the soul does not become free when the doors open. Sometimes the soul becomes free when the doors close, the applause fades, and God is still there.

Deep Water Labs explores faith, failure, formation, and how to move forward when you can't go back.

Subscribe for more reflections on spiritual formation and finding God in the deep water.

00:00 When Doors Close
00:23 Meet Fénelon
01:20 Loving God Alone
02:09 Quietism Controversy
03:27 Exile and Loss
04:48 Humiliation as Mercy
05:54 Spiritual Ambition Exposed
07:58 Calling Without Ego
09:06 Strength to Be Misunderstood
09:52 Benched by God
10:29 Grieve Before Interpreting
11:03 Final Reflection

** Book Recommentaion **
Deeper Experiences of Famous Christians
https://amzn.to/4oEMCl3

Feel free to reach out to me at Jason@DeepWaterLabs.com

I write at DeepWaterLabs.com/blog

My substack is Notes.DeepWaterLabs.com

#Fenelon #SpiritualFormation #ChristianPodcast #DeepWaterLabs #FaithAndFailure #ChristianHistory #SurrenderToGod #FrançoisFénelon

What are we really signing up for when we tell God, "Your will be done"?

In this episode of the Deep Water Labs podcast, Jason Owens reflects on the life of Madame Guyon, a French Christian mystic from the 1600s whose deep surrender to God was followed not by ease, comfort, and quick blessing—but by loss, suffering, spiritual dryness, and a long season of desolation.

Drawing from Deeper Experiences of Famous Christians, Jason explores how Madame Guyon's story challenges our modern expectations of the Christian life. Her journey through smallpox, grief, the loss of family members, and years of feeling distant from God raises a sobering question: what if the dark night of the soul is not evidence that God has abandoned us, but part of the deep work of purification, surrender, and restoration?

This episode is for anyone who has ever wondered where God went, why obedience sometimes seems to lead into hardship, and how suffering can become part of a deeper story.

Book Link :: Deeper Experiences of Famous Christians - https://amzn.to/4ofzLWa