I have learned so much from from the Israelites and their journey in the Book of Numbers. For instance, because they didn't trust God and His promises, ended up wandering in the wilderness the rest of their lives with no direction. They went around that same mountain, never gaining victory, getting nowhere, going in circles. How many of us have been there at one time or another in our lives? You say, "I recognize this place, I have been here before, when am I ever going to learn?" Boy I have! I have been there, done that, and got the tee shirt!
I remember a job that I took out of fear. I knew that it wasn't God's will, but financially I couldn't see how we were going to make it. For almost two years I was miserable and getting nowhere. When I finally saw "the light" and quit it was as if a burden had been lifted and it had! There is nothing like getting the blessing of being in His perfect will.
When we face giants or things that seem insurmountable in our lives we often cower in fear. We end up with lost years when we virtually accomplish nothing. Have you ever heard someone say, "I have lost years of my life because God was teaching me something, it was a wandering time for me?" Well as Paul said, "we are given these stories as examples." The Israelites were out of the will of God because they ceased to trust Him so they just wandered for years accomplishing nothing.
God has a plan and a purpose for every life He created. A plan for good and not for evil. He wants to bless us and give us abundant life. Yes, bad things happen, heartache, sickness, brokenness, because we live in a fallen world. But He told us this would be,"In this world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world." Jn.16:33 We can overcome any giant, any mountain because He is with us. We don't face the giants alone!!! He says, " Your walls or the things you face are ever before Me." Is. 49:16 He knows what we are facing!
The key is to stay focused on Him for direction. Too many times we, like the Israelites, take our eyes off Him and look at our circumstances. And we say there is no way I am going to be able to get through this. So we do as they did, we try to come up with our own plans and we end up wandering with no purpose or direction, never really getting anywhere.
God has a plan and a purpose specifically for each one of us to accomplish in this life. The main purpose will be accomplished if we have given our lives to Him. That purpose is to spend eternity with Him and we will be blessed beyond our imagination. But when we don't focus on Him during our journey here on this earth, we miss the blessing and purpose He has for us here. The destination may be wonderful, but the journey miserable. It doesn't have to be that way.
His purpose for us, is that our lives revolve around and point to Him. I wonder how many people are miserable because they planned their own lives, instead of seeking God's plan for their lives. They wander around making their own plans seeking their own agenda. "There is a way that seems right to man, but it's end is destruction." Prov. 14:12
Ephesians 1:9 tells us that He has made known to us the mystery of His will, which He purposed in Christ. In the fullness of time all creation will all come together in Christ, all things in heaven and earth will come together in Him.
It is the key to understanding life, God created everything to be brought together in Christ. So if we are not moving in the direction of His will, in the direction in which all creation is going, we are going against the flow.
It is like trying to swim upstream always fighting, always struggling, always in a sweat. I don't know about you, but I don't like fighting , struggling, and sweating. I just want to rest in His arms and seek and fulfill His plan for my life.
The Israelites ended up making it into the Promised Land, that is those 20 years old and younger. So God's purpose was fulfilled, He did get the Israelites in, after 40 years wandering in the wilderness. The blessing was delayed, because of their disobedience and lack of trust, but His purpose was fulfilled!
Our blessing on this earth doesn't have to be delayed if we just trust Him and go with the flow of all creation. And that is focus on Christ, life is all about Him and His will for each one of us.
"Trust in the Lord with all of your heart, lean not to your own understanding, and in all your ways acknowledge Him and He will direct your path."Prov. 3:5-6
Trust Him when He has given you direction, keep focused. Meditate on what He has spoken to your heart and then rest in Him. Let Him take care of the giants, the mountains and the walled cities that you face. Stop struggling and go with the flow of all creation, "His will for your life."
