Have you ever felt like God did not know what He was doing in your life? Have you been in a situation where you asked, "What in the world are You up to, Lord?" Do you know what it feels like to follow the Lord, only to find yourself in a desert place? I do, and I bet many of you do as well. Whoever said following Jesus with your wholeheart would be easy?I am reading in Exodus right now, and today I came across a most interesting passage: "When Pharaoh let the people go, God did not lead them on the road through the Philistine country, though that was shorter. For God said, 'If they face war, they might change their minds and return to Egypt.' So God led the people around by the desert road toward the Red Sea" (Ex. 13:17-18). I call this God's "Around About" Way. What a lesson for us: At times God does not lead us to take the shorter or easier path, but rather He leads us through that which will be difficult, yet best for us.
You mean sometimes what is best is difficult? You bet! How is silver perfected? Through heat, trials, and hardships. But at the end of the day, the silver reflects the image of the one refining it.
As the perfect Parent, God knows what path is best for us. It might not be the one we would choose. It is likely not the path we prefer. However, it is God's path. It is God's will. And it is best for us. But only God knows this, and we must trust His divine wisdom. If we knew ahead of time that His path would take us through a desert, we might not agree to go there. Therefore, sometimes God withholds from our understanding the full knowledge ... until we are ready to possess it.
Every earthly parent can relate to this way of working. Often, especially in the early years, we know better than our children what is best for them. We may direct them toward that which will be more difficult, but that which will benefit them most for the long term. If they will trust our wisdom, they will be better off. But if they buck our will and go their own way, they will suffer.
The same holds true in our relationship with God. Even when His will is not easy, we can trust that it is best. This is why it is so important to have an accurate understanding of who God is. I am convinced nothing is more important in our overall spiritual development than having a deep conviction about God's true nature. No topic is more worthy of our study than the attributes of God! When we are going through difficulty, our understanding of God will either make or break us.
When God led me to leave a most wonderful pastorate of 17 years, little did I know it would involve a seven month season of testing, desert dryness, and waiting. I hate too wait. I do not like uncertainty. I struggle when the bank account gets smaller and smaller. On the other hand, I want God's perfect will. I want to know Him better. I desire to become conformed to the image of Christ. If this involves testing, desert dryness, and waiting, then so be it.
When I surrendered my life and heart to Christ, in essence I was saying, "Lord, I am yours. Do whatever it takes to make me like You want me to be."
God led His people out of Egypt and through a "around about" way to the Promised Land. This path was not what they expected, but it was the best path for them. God knew that if they faced war, they would turn back to Egypt.
In the same way, God knows your heart. He knows which path is best for your development, even if that path is not the one you would chose or prefer. Here is where you must trust Him. You must know that His will for you is good, acceptable and perfect (Ro. 12:1-2). Are you willing to trust Him even when He leads you through an "around about" path?
I would love to hear what your experience has been in regards to the topic of this blog. Feel free to share it in the comments section below.
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ReplyDeleteI wanted to share a little bit about how this blog topic relates to what God has been doing in my life over the past two and a half years. God has taken my desire to be a self-sufficient business woman and transformed it into being a wife and a servant-leader. The Israelites were waiting for a deliverer, but I'm sure they weren't expecting the well-educated, royal Moses! I'm sure many didn't expect to make it out of Egypt alive, let alone across the Red Sea! While I feel incredibly blessed to be married and have a life in an entirely new world, it's also scary to be a part of an entirely new church with people who have so many hurts and needs. The temptation to give up and give in to selfishness with my time, money, and spiritual gifts is always knocking. Helping these people find healing and God's purpose for their lives as well as finding my own feels overwhelming at times! God is gently teaching me that I often need to close my worldly eyes and let Him take me by the heart and lead because I won't understand these people or God's will by my own logic. Talking to a girl my age, I realized that with her history it must seem like an impassable wall to be vulnerable with an authority figure like God, and that the wall she built to protect herself is also sealing out the healing power and spiritual provisions of the Holy Spirit. God began showing me areas in my life where I am being inflexible and rigid, not relying on his grace. In comparison, I had read about the original construction of skyscrapers and how they were built to be stiff and immovable. The engineers soon found that the buildings were being crushed by strong winds and storms. They are now built to be flexible so they bend and twist without breaking. God wants us to be flexible and vulnerable with him so that he can heal us and mold us. If we harden our hearts and build walls to keep God out, our lives will continue in pain, heartache, and emptiness. God is trustworthy. He has proven himself to be so in His word, by unselfishly giving his only Son to take our penalty for sin on the cross, and in my own life. While coming all the way to Oregon and being away from my family has felt like the "around about" way, God knows me better than I know myself and it's for my best! He is faithful to carry us through to the end. Thank you, Lord!
ReplyDeletePastor David, your blog entry is fantastic and encouraging. Thank you.
ReplyDeleteSometimes it is so hard to see where God is leading...or understand what He's doing (and sometimes it feels like He's not doing anything!) - but looking back it is amazing to see the Hand of God directing my path and leading me in the perfect Way He has designed for me.
I remember one instance of this very clearly. I was very excited to be signed up for a Real Estate class I had wanted to take for a very long time, I bought the book, and requested two weeks off work for it.
Two days before it started I received a phone call that it had been canceled. I was crushed. There were no other classes that would fit into my schedule and I was very disappointed. All my plans had just gone down the drain.
However, God was at work.
I had the two weeks off work, and I didn't know what I was going to do, all I knew was I wasn't happy about the lost income.
About three days later (the second day of when the class would've been) my grandpa, who had been fighting lung cancer, took a significant turn for the worse. Thus began the hardest two weeks of my life. He went from really being 'ok' to needing 24hr round-the-clock care.
Because I was off work, we were able to keep him at home, which was what he wanted. As I took turns with my Mom and Dad taking care of him and staying up all night to be by his side, I got to make sure he was comfortable and felt loved by us...to give him a 'good' send-off to his eternal home.
He passed into glory three days before I was scheduled to go back to work.
I have never looked at 'lost' opportunities or 'messed-up' plans the same way. What I saw as God letting me down by my class being canceled, was really God setting things up for His bigger, and better, plan. I am incredibly thankful for the time I had with my grandpa and my family - and immensely grateful to my wonderful Lord that He is ever-faithful and the best Guide ever.
So, in times of confusion, where you're not sure where God is taking you, know this: He is a good Guide and He knows exactly where He is taking you - someday you will look back and understand.
Hello there. I don't exactly know what is going to end up written here, but I know what is in my heart.
ReplyDeleteFirst of all, Pastor David, Thank you for your continued encouragement and writings to challenge each of us in our daily walk with God. I must admit, since I had to leave La Crosse and move back to my home town, I struggled greatly questioning why, but also letting go and giving God the reigns to lead me to a new home church and a fellowship I could give and take from. I have struggled for the last year or 2 with jumping from church to church and wouldn't it be that I believe God led me to the church I feel fits me as a bible-believing Christian today. I couldn't find that in my home-town until today. I also felt the warmth and solid foundation I instantly felt at first free. I found it difficult to trust God in such a difficult period and dry time in my life- which is still in the process- but I haven't lost my love for him. I have often prayed to receive a confirmation about a place to attend and God is faithful. Yes, I do compare often to First free, but I have come to grips that I am needing to move on and give God all of me. No looking back and moping. I have been blessed, but there is more out there to be blessed with and bless others with. I am incredibly thankful for your words and the reflections I have made.
This life on earth can be a huge struggle- which almost all people can atest to- but God does provide. That statement may sound too easy, but it is also so true. Without the struggles and experiences I have had, I wouldn't have reached out in faith to find healing or to build relationships with people I have today. Some come in and out of my life, but this too is God's plan. "Trust in the Lord with all of 'my' heart and lead not on 'my' own understanding." I may not understand- but by trusting God I will one day understand. Thanks again.
David,
ReplyDeleteMy life seems to have been such a long road of many 'detours,' hind sight has revealed God's hand in so many of those unexpected deviations. I realized that God's way for me was much better than what I may have chosen at the time. He knows what we need to do and experience. He teaches us that we really need to trust him an puts us in positions to strengthen our trust. I am learning more and more to trust him in ALL, not just some aspects of my life. As you know, I am going through some 'detours' right now, that do not seem to make any sense to my finite mind, but despite the struggles, I am comfident that He is in control. If He wasn't, I think I would not be handling the situation very well on my own. I am so thankful for all He teaches me! I keep praying that I be receptive to his teaching.