It’s still zero dark thirty as I walk through my neighborhood to coffee, but I can tell it’s cloudy. No stars. No moon. It’s a blustery 48 degrees and I’m not dressed for the changing season.
I usually take the “long way”, weaving through the lovely back streets, but today my hands are becoming numb. I cut out of the neighborhood for a more direct route to the warm Starbucks with lights beckoning me through the darkness.
As I walk, I think of the Israelites in the wilderness. How much would they have loved to turn on a GPS and take a shortcut to the Promised Land?
How often did they think, “God parted the Red Sea for us! Why not provide a highway and a Maserati?” Ok, maybe not that exact sentiment, but something within the realm of their imagination, right?
How often would you like to do that too? Maybe your wilderness is singleness, or infertility, or joblessness, or health issues, or more month than money.
Yeah, we can see the benefits of the “long way” for the Israelites –
- They learned deep, daily dependence on God.
- They saw His faithfulness and goodness even when their circumstances didn’t change.
- They experienced the value of community.
- They learned the consequences of disobedience.
But maybe you’re feeling really cranky today and you’re tired of looking for the blessings. You may feel like you’re making excuses for God. That’s honest.
Maybe today you need permission to lament. (Psalm 5:1-3, Psalm 6:3)
Maybe you need to hear that God is patient and sees you and hears you no matter how rebellious you feel. (Genesis 13:16, Psalm 40:1, 2 Peter 3:9)
Maybe you just need your weariness and pain to be validated. (Psalm 119:28, Psalm 34:18)
It’s ok. God is big and gracious and patient.
But he brought his people out like a flock; he led them like sheep through the wilderness.
Psalm 78:52
What has helped you in your wilderness? Share in comments! And I’d love to have you join me over on Instagram! Come say “Hey!”