Stay in the StorySample

You Have Stayed Long Enough // "You have stayed on this mountain long enough" Deuteronomy 1:6 

In this story, God finally called the Israelites down.  But can you imagine being stuck somewhere for forty years when you could move forward in less than two weeks?  That’s what happened with the Israelites. They had already been delivered from Egypt and crossed the Red Sea to escape Pharaoh's wrath, but it was here where they wandered around in the wilderness for forty years to make what was actually an eleven-day journey.  

Why on earth did it take that long? 

I was reading a devotional by Joyce Meyer on this and she says "The Israelites couldn't move on because they had a wilderness mentality." The Israelites had no positive vision for their lives and no dreams. They needed to let go of that mentality and trust God. 

And so I ask today-- what is it you're facing which you continue to battle with and struggle letting go? 

- The pain he caused when his promises weren’t fulfilled?

- That conversation you had that she destroyed every hope for a restored marriage?

- The professor’s statements about your ethic?

- The colleague that had no right to treat you the way he did to get ahead?

- She/he knew all your fears and used it all against you.

- Your words didn’t stand true so they made up things to the others and you’re seen as a fake.

- The kids certainly don’t think you’ll be a success with your past.

- The last project failed so the thought of another risk seems ridiculous, you don’t want to get burned again.

- It never seems to work the way you hoped, so why try again?

- You remember that one time when ___, and on and on the spiral goes...

Has it been years and years, or has it simply been long enough? (6mos too long can be long enough!) Wrestling over the same thing or thoughts, complaining about the circumstance you're in yet no vision or desire to get to somewhere new or where God wants you? Can I tell you that healthy and whole is what He wants for you.  Part of our freedom in knowing who Jesus is, is that He came to set captives free and give us vision for our life! He came to silence the voice of the accuser. 

"Where vision lacks, people perish" Proverbs 29:18. I think this is true for all of our lives. When we dwell in the past instead of looking towards tomorrow and embracing new vision, our spirits become small and we don't get to the potential God has for us!! 

What is it in your life you're struggling to get through, give up, or release so you can step freely into tomorrow? Ask God for a new vision and wisdom as he makes your path clear! Ask him to heal the parts of you that need to be healed! I'm pretty sure He's just waiting to jump in because He’s a good God who longs to bless you!

RESPOND:

What’s keeping you from stepping freely into tomorrow?  

Are there things you need to sort through before you can dream again?  Perhaps today is the day of new beginnings where you stop looking behind, and start looking ahead.

PRAYER:

Father you know what happened that just doesn’t feel ok to move forward as if it didn’t happen. And yet when we choose to forgive or look ahead, it doesn’t mean what was done to us was ok. It simply means we are choosing by faith to release trust into your hand that you will take care of us going forward and the weight of the burden from the past can be lifted.  Lord, would you help me to keep my eyes forward and on you? I don’t want to stay any longer in the wilderness I’ve been wandering in. It already feels like it's been too long, so Lord, will you captivate my heart with dreams and hopes for the future? Would you breathe into my life new vision? Heal the parts of me that need to be healed, Father. As I trust you to go before me paving the path, I will trust you and I will also take a stand against that mountain and obstacle to trust your miraculous healing, divine guidance, and intervention into our everyday norm can happen.  Father help me to surrender it all at your cross now, and let me walk forward with the hope that you will clear the path before me. Reassure me that I will know the direction to step into as it appears before me. THANK YOU for healing the parts that need to be healed. Thank you for your rescue Jesus.