The past few months have been difficult for my family, as well as many of my closest friends. This time of recession is hard and has caused many of us to question where God is leading us, are we following His will for our lives, or are we just missing the boat altogether?
I wonder if the Israelites had the same questions during their wilderness journey. For forty years they wandered with only a promise that one day they would enter the Promised Land.
But was that all they really experienced during their time of journeying the wilderness?
The Bible tells us that the Israelites received many miracles during their journey. They were led by God through the wilderness; they were never hungry or thirsty because God provided manna and water for them; their clothes and shoes did not wear out; and they received quail to eat when they desired more than manna from God. Yet in the midst of all they were being blessed with, the Israelites still complained… they still failed to believe God fully for the promise He provided to them.
Why did they fail to believe God fully?
I believe that it was because the Israelites had their own vision, their own idea of what God was doing as their focus, and when things didn’t happen in their time or within the realms of what they believed would happen… they lost their hope in the promise He had given them. They began to complain, and began seeking and worshipping other gods. They turned their back on the God who was providing for them, and put their trust in something else.
I will be the first to admit that I myself am guilty of this behavior. When things don’t happen within my timeframes, I begin to scramble. I wonder what I am doing wrong, what I can do to fix this, or how I can change this outcome. I begin to believe in my own power, and lose sight in the power of God. As I look back I realize there have been times that God has shown Himself to me, and I have failed to see His hand moving in my life.
The real question is who do I trust more, God or myself?
As I pondered that question today, a song I haven’t heard in over twenty years flowed into my remembrances, Do I Trust You Lord by Twila Paris.
Sometimes my litter heart can’t understand
What’s in Your will, what’s in Your plan?
So many times I’m tempted to ask You why,
But I can never forget it for long.
Lord, what You do could not be wrong.
So I believe You, even when I must cry.
Do I trust You, Lord? Does the river flow?
Do I trust You, Lord? Does the north wind blow?
You can see my heart; You can read my mind,
And You got to know that I would rather die
Than to lose my faith in the One I love.
Do I trust You, Lord? Do I trust You?
I know the answers, I’ve given them all.
But suddenly now, I feel so small.
Shaken down to the cavity in my soul
I know the doctrine and theology,
But right now they don’t mean much to me.
This time there’s only one thing I’ve got to know.
Do I trust You, Lord? Does the robin sing?
Do I trust You, Lord? Does it rain in spring?
You can see my heart; You can read my mind,
And You got to know that I would rather die
Than to lose my faith in the One I love.
Do I trust You, Lord? Do I trust You?
I will trust You, Lord, when I don’t know why.
I will trust You, Lord till the day I die.
I will trust You, Lord, when I’m blind with pain!
You were God before, and You’ll never change.
I will trust You. I will trust You, Lord.
I realized today that it is in the wilderness journey that we see the goodness of God. Even during my own journey these past few months, if I take the time and really look at it, I can see all the places where God has been there with me faithfully, providing for me and making sure that I was never doing without. God has been faithful to me, just as He was faithful to the Israelites. As I focus on His goodness, I realize that this journey, while not always pleasant, is doable because God is walking it with me, every step of the way.
That being said, we all still come to the place where we feel like we can’t take another step, and we don’t know which direction to go. What do we do in those times?
I suggest that we follow the instruction found in Deuteronomy 8:1-10:
Be careful to follow every command I am giving you today, so that you may live and increase and may enter and possess the land that the LORD promised on oath to your forefathers. Remember how the LORD your God led you all the way in the desert these forty years; to humble you and to test you in order to know what was in your heart, whether or not you would keep his commands. He humbled you, causing you to hunger and then feeding you with manna, which neither you nor your fathers had known, to teach you that man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of the LORD. Your clothes did not wear out and your feet did not swell during these forty years. Know then in your heart that as a man disciplines his son, so the LORD your God disciplines you. Observe the commands of the LORD your God, walking in his ways and revering him. For the LORD your God is bringing you into a good land—a land with streams and pools of water, with springs flowing in the valleys and hills; a land with wheat and barley, vines and fig trees, pomegranates, olive oil and honey; a land where bread will not be scarce and you will lack nothing; a land where the rocks are iron and you can dig copper out of the hills. When you have eaten and are satisfied, praise the LORD your God for the good land he has given you.
Follow His Commands: Sometimes when you have no idea what to do, the best thing to do is what you know to be right. By following God’s commands, by continuing to pray, love others, and seek Him; it will help us to remain faithful. Sometimes this will feel like we are just going through the motions, and it doesn’t seem to be making an impact… but it is. Even though you may not feel anything at the moment, God promises that if You continue to obey His commands then He will enter the land He has promised to You.
Remember God: So often we forget about God in our everyday moments. When we have to wait in line, or in a traffic jam, or the house is a mess… whatever the situation, we need to remember God in the everyday moments. By concentrating on Him, we will begin to see all the areas He is moving in our lives. The blessings of having money to pay for what we are buying, the grace that kept us from being in the wreck causing the traffic jam, or the moments of love shared with our family when we take our mind off our chores and focus on our relationships.
Be Receptive: God is using this wilderness experience to teach us. Sometimes He is working out a bad attitude, or maybe there is an area that we need correction on; possibly there is an area in our life that needs to be fixed before God can move us into the things He has promised to us. Be open to God’s correction, His instruction, and His guidance during this time.
Praise Him: Remember to thank God for all He is doing. Even though it may seem like you are going in circles, seek Him and praise Him during this time. It is in those moments of praise that you will begin to feel His presence in your life. Praising Him in the hard times is hard, but if you can’t praise and remember Him there, then you are apt to forget Him when things are going your way.
So, in closing… enjoy your journey. Seek God in the wilderness, and trust Him even when you can’t see the next step. He is certain to guide your paths and give to you what He is promised, just continue to put your hope and trust in Him.
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