Since September last year, I’ve found myself in a new season work-wise. By March, things got even harder – longer commutes, increasing intensity at work, and no reduction in the commitments that matter most: to my family and to my local church.
Change is rarely comfortable. Transitional seasons stretch us, often beyond what we feel ready for. My discomfort held the potential for growth, but at the time, the stretch just felt overwhelming. I couldn’t see any silver lining.
What made it even harder was the uncertainty, those many days where I just didn’t feel settled on the inside. On top of all that, there were things happening around me that I had no control over, including personal losses.
Hard seasons live up to their name – they’re hard. And faith in God doesn’t make us immune to them. But even in the stretching, even in the unknown, there’s something being shaped within us.
As the days rolled by, I had to personally unplug from many things because my gaze was becoming distracted and life seemed to be spinning.
In my unplugging, I began digging my heels deep into The Rock. If life would not take us out, if our faith would not fail, we must refresh our gaze from time to time. We must disallow the noise around us from drowning out the voice of hope from within us that urges us forward into the future God has prepared for us.
I love Gods word – it remains the surest compass for my life. I began to study the Israelites as they began to transition from Egypt into the promised land. They were Gods chosen people yet had to navigate a wilderness, the Red Sea and many giants as they journeyed. Some resorted to complaining, while some retained a perspective of faith and an assurance in Gods character and His ability to deliver.
I share this to say, keep going. Our journeys in God would not be hassle free always yet in them we can choose to live a life of complaining or instead choose to see The God who is with us in the wilderness.
Through all the book of Exodus we see Him
as a Pillar of cloud by day and a Pillar of fire by night leading His people through unknown terrain
as the Invisible Hand that parts the Red Sea making it a pathway for His people to walk through
as The Camper God who camps His people by fresh springs and palm trees so they are refreshed
The Providing God who supplies daily manna for His people and quail for their nourishment
The Faithful God under whose care their clothes did not wear out neither the shoes on their feet.
God is constant in all our times and seasons and He is not removed from our wildernesses. If we quieten our hearts and find our rest in Him, we would see Him present with us, never leaving, always guiding and always providing.
Sometimes all we need to do is to pull away from the noise of fear and doubt and refresh our gaze. It’s there that we would see Him clearly, constant in His character and present with us as we journey along. Most times we are in a hurry to exit hard seasons yet they hold such great potential for us to see our multifaceted, multidimensional, multi gracious and faithful God. He is tender to all those He loves and His compassion is unending. Hope this encourages you. Don’t give up.
“I have led you in the wilderness forty years; your clothes have not worn out on you, and your sandals have not worn out on your feet.”
Deuteronomy 29:5
Treasure in earthen vessels 