Can I be brutally honest with where I'm at? K, thanks...
So, today I was complaining to myself how frustratingly bored I was, how void of human contact/interaction I was, how I didn't have any money and how I did not like my current circumstances. I've recently moved to a new environment and left my family, friends, job security and financial stability to come here. As I sit in my room for another lonely, event-less day I began to whine about it all. I started thinking of how good I had it before I moved. There was security in the familiar, even though it was not fulfilling my heart's desire. My mind started trailing back... until...
God so graciously reminded me of the story of the Israelites (Not familiar with these guys?: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Israelites) en route from Egypt to "The Promise Land" or Canaan. They were actual slaves in Egypt, living like slaves, working like slaves, eating like slaves - all of that. They begged God for help, literally cried out as though their lives depended on it (they did). So, God sends his guy, Moses, to get em outta there. He does, they leave, the Pharaoh's pissed about it, but whatev - they leave.
At first they're so-mega-pumped to have left. They literally have a caravan-party for quite sometime and are like "Ye-ah, God's so good! This is awesome!" and so on. Then things get difficult (as usually happens in times of transition). They run out of food, they're thirsty, they've been literally walking for weeks/months and are so tired. They still haven't seen this "Promise Land" anywhere and they're starting to question what they've gotten themselves into.
I remember reading this story as a young girl and thinking, "What the flip is wrong with these people? God has and always will be faithful to them. They make it in the end. It's so clear." Except, I'd never actually had to walk through a wilderness. I've never not had enough money for something and I've never not known what'll happen at the end of the week when the food runs out. Of course it was clear to me. I'd never known anything to muck up my clarity of God's faithfulness. I'd never been in serious transition and had to exercise faith like that. Not yet anyway, not until now.
So, God reminded me of all of this today and then asked me, "Why do you think it was so clear to you that they could have/should have been trusting me, but it wasn't for them?" I answered, "Well, I suppose it's because I heard this story so many times that I knew in the end it turned out awesome." Then He says, "Don't you know your own ending? Do you know I have been and always will remain faithful to you? Do you think I led you out of your previous circumstances to let you die in the wilderness?"
Hmm.
So, my thought of the day today is this: Scripture and history is FULL of examples of God's faithfulness to the people who've gone before us. Why would He decided to be a jerk this one time just for me? It's ridiculous to think about it that way, but by complaining and trying to work out my own solution or take steps back for comfort in the familiar that's exactly what I was saying... "God, I don't think You'll come through. I don't think You can handle this. You lied to me." WTF (Water The Flowers) Seriously??? Absolutely ludicrous, but yeah, that's exactly the attitude I had, although I didn't come out and say it in those words.
First thing I had to do: Repent of doubt and unbelief. Those guys will eat you alive if left to play.
Second: Replace all that crap with truth. "God you ARE good, you DO love me, you ARE faithful to strengthen me, provide for me, lift me up and prosper me."
Third: Kick back and suck up some JOY in knowing God's capable, trustworthy and faithful... and that I know the end of this story is awesome.
Taking risks is HARD, but knowing who you are and where you're headed is vital to success.
*Romans 12:2
"And be not conformed to the patterns of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind that you will be able to test and approve what is the good and perfect will of God."
