Remember how the Lord your God led you all the way in the wilderness these forty years, to humble and test you in order to know what was in your heart, whether or not you would keep his commands. Deuteronomy 8:2.
"The wilderness has purpose" - Jennifer Cannon.
Life is full of challenges and hardships. Jesus said it himself, "These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world" John 16:33.
The key to making it through the challenges and hardships is Jesus. He is the secret ingredient.
I'm not here to act like I have gotten it all figure it out. In fact, I sometimes wander around in the wilderness and block my blessings because of my attitude. The thing is that we all have rough spots in life, but we must remember his promises.
This year has been one of my toughest seasons of my life. I struggled with my job, people, situations, bills, and it was difficult to trust God. Even when life is hard to understand, we must trust God through the process.
Trust God even when we can't trace him.
We can learn so much through the story of the Isrealites. They were the people who God rescued from the hand of the Egyptians and promised a land flowing with milk and honey. But because of disobedience and their hearts, their eleven day trip turned into a 40 year journey!
So here's a heart check: Are you wandering around in the wilderness? How is your attitude? How is your heart? Are you trusting God to be your provision? Are you making an idol out of your problems?
Honestly, I've wandered around in my confusion with a messed up attitude, a poor heart, and made my concerns my god.
It's so easy to look at the Israelites and appear confused as to how they could forget God's promises and miracles so easily. Like, God opened the Red Sea for you, get your life! Andddd then, they had the nerve to complain to God. God revealed to me through another blog how I was paralleling my life to the Israelities. I focused more on my issues and not enough on God. I allowed my wilderness to make me bitter and not better. I complained over praising.
Understand that our wildernesses are used to test our hearts. How pure are we for God? God tells us that we can have peace in the midst of our storms because he has already overcame it all. So...where is your heart?
Peace,
Courtney
