Desert Life
"It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then , and do not let yourselves be burdened again by the yoke of slavery."
-Galations 5:1
"This is what the Lord says: "Cursed is the one who trusts in man, who draws strength from mere flesh and whose heart turns away from the Lord. That person will be like a bush in the wastelands; they will not see prosperity when it comes. They will dwell in the parched places of the desert, in a salt land where no one lives. But blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in him. They will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit."
- Jeremiah 17:5-8
I've never really been in an actual desert. Well I've been out west where it was called a desert but it wasn't like a real desert. Yeah it was sandy and kinda hot but not like the deserts that I've heard about and read about. I think a real desert is pretty miserable. Not much chance of being refreshed. Very uncomfortable.
That is the way I have been describing my spiritual life lately. Desert. Wasteland. Miles and miles of nothing, dryness, no color, no life. It has seemed like everything was out of my reach...that closeness with God, the comfort, the blessings. All on the horizon, but like a mirage, out of my reach. Shocking? I doubt it, because I'm guessing I'm not alone. I'm guessing many of us have had those feelings.
I'm starting to come back out on the other side, and there are some things I'd like to share with you. I don't know if you can or have ever been able to relate, but I think God was trying to get something through to me. Like He is....He does it in the only way I seem to listen...through difficulty.
Let me back up a little bit here. I have been retired for 7 years. I have had a lot more time during those years than I did as a working mom and wife of course. Although I worked part time at first, it has been a few years since I worked very much. Last summer, our seasonal business was unable to open, and we experienced a financial setback. So, I decided I needed to work more again, to make up the difference. It seems I have not stopped 10 minutes in months. Between working, helping my mom out when I need to, family and grandchildren, volunteer responsibilities, and just the general "to do" list of life, I have been overwhelmed. I wake up tired and go to bed exhausted. Not unlike it was when I was a working mom. Never enough time in the day.
I think you probably know where I'm going with this. Guess what gets left out first? Yup....time with God. That one thing I KNOW is the most important, the one thing He has taught me is VITAL for my spiritual well-being....it's what gets left behind. No wonder I've been in a desert. I haven't said "Hello" in quite a while, at least on any meaningful level, and yet I wonder why there's no feedback.
I went to a conference in Branson a couple of weeks ago, given by the Alliance for Life. It was a great time, and a time where God was able to clearly get my attention without other distractions. The keynote speaker was Vicky Botsford, a nationally known speaker to ministries and particularly work in the paregnancy care area. So, naturally I expected most of her keynote to be about the battle for life. Not so. Her emphasis was on "leading from your knees " a call to spiritual refreshing...a deeper commitment to the relationship .....before we try to lead others anywhere . As usual, God had me in exactly the place He wanted me, hearing the message He wanted me to hear .
Rather than go into great detail, I will cut to the chase of the message I'd like to share with you. The keynote speaker did two personal things which allowed specific messages to us individually. She gave each of us a word and later a scripture. I believe by doing this, God was given easy access directly to each of us. With my word and scripture, (the scripture I received was the one from Galations above), God spoke to me clearly about what I was allowing to happen in my life. I'm using that.....allowing Him to speak to me through that.....and trying to let Him pull me back into the green lush valley of His presence.
So if you don't like the desert, try allowing Him to speak to you too. There's one way to do that....approach Him through His word. Ask Him for a word, for a scripture. He'll provide it. Let Him guide you back. Easy? Not always? Final? Don't know. But it's in His will, it's what He wants, and therefore He promises to do it. Welcome back to the Living Water.
-Galations 5:1
"This is what the Lord says: "Cursed is the one who trusts in man, who draws strength from mere flesh and whose heart turns away from the Lord. That person will be like a bush in the wastelands; they will not see prosperity when it comes. They will dwell in the parched places of the desert, in a salt land where no one lives. But blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in him. They will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit."
- Jeremiah 17:5-8
| Trying to wrap my head around The certainty of an uncertain future. What will it be like? Today, when I listened to a testimony Filled with anguish, pain and victory Or, when I heard the voice of one tormented and still praising..... As tears flowed down my cheeks.. I thought ....How? What is the key: - to a close, constant dependence - to no wavering, no doubt, no other idols - to a steady stream of relationship....one with no turnoffs.....no dead ends.....no drought and dried up beaches. A constant constant A smooth smooth A steady steady With no struggle....no doubt....no wavering. Where is that? How do I get there? How do I stay there? Does anyone know? Or is everyone like me---- - strong then weak - up then down - confident then helpless - determined then apathetic Knowing the One who has the answers But keeping Him at arms' length. Like a child who knows where security and comfort is Yet runs away from it anyway Or turns her head and ignores it Going for the easy, the tempting, the temporary Walking in the desert When the oasis is there for the taking. | ||
That is the way I have been describing my spiritual life lately. Desert. Wasteland. Miles and miles of nothing, dryness, no color, no life. It has seemed like everything was out of my reach...that closeness with God, the comfort, the blessings. All on the horizon, but like a mirage, out of my reach. Shocking? I doubt it, because I'm guessing I'm not alone. I'm guessing many of us have had those feelings.
I'm starting to come back out on the other side, and there are some things I'd like to share with you. I don't know if you can or have ever been able to relate, but I think God was trying to get something through to me. Like He is....He does it in the only way I seem to listen...through difficulty.
Let me back up a little bit here. I have been retired for 7 years. I have had a lot more time during those years than I did as a working mom and wife of course. Although I worked part time at first, it has been a few years since I worked very much. Last summer, our seasonal business was unable to open, and we experienced a financial setback. So, I decided I needed to work more again, to make up the difference. It seems I have not stopped 10 minutes in months. Between working, helping my mom out when I need to, family and grandchildren, volunteer responsibilities, and just the general "to do" list of life, I have been overwhelmed. I wake up tired and go to bed exhausted. Not unlike it was when I was a working mom. Never enough time in the day.
I think you probably know where I'm going with this. Guess what gets left out first? Yup....time with God. That one thing I KNOW is the most important, the one thing He has taught me is VITAL for my spiritual well-being....it's what gets left behind. No wonder I've been in a desert. I haven't said "Hello" in quite a while, at least on any meaningful level, and yet I wonder why there's no feedback.
I went to a conference in Branson a couple of weeks ago, given by the Alliance for Life. It was a great time, and a time where God was able to clearly get my attention without other distractions. The keynote speaker was Vicky Botsford, a nationally known speaker to ministries and particularly work in the paregnancy care area. So, naturally I expected most of her keynote to be about the battle for life. Not so. Her emphasis was on "leading from your knees " a call to spiritual refreshing...a deeper commitment to the relationship .....before we try to lead others anywhere . As usual, God had me in exactly the place He wanted me, hearing the message He wanted me to hear .
Rather than go into great detail, I will cut to the chase of the message I'd like to share with you. The keynote speaker did two personal things which allowed specific messages to us individually. She gave each of us a word and later a scripture. I believe by doing this, God was given easy access directly to each of us. With my word and scripture, (the scripture I received was the one from Galations above), God spoke to me clearly about what I was allowing to happen in my life. I'm using that.....allowing Him to speak to me through that.....and trying to let Him pull me back into the green lush valley of His presence.
So if you don't like the desert, try allowing Him to speak to you too. There's one way to do that....approach Him through His word. Ask Him for a word, for a scripture. He'll provide it. Let Him guide you back. Easy? Not always? Final? Don't know. But it's in His will, it's what He wants, and therefore He promises to do it. Welcome back to the Living Water.
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