What makes your life challenging today? Remember that God has purpose in your pain, whether it be physical, mental, spiritual, or relational. He knows exactly what you are going through and why. It is essential to keep God as your main focus as He leads you to healing, resolution or understanding of the plight that you are in.
Isaiah 41:10 has been helpful for me when I need to refocus my heart and mind on God, “Fear not, for I am with you; do not be dismayed for I am your God. I will strengthen you; I will help you; I will uphold you with My victorious right hand.”
God has never reneged on helping me, no matter the pain I am experiencing.
In the Old Testament, God led the Israelites faithfully out of enemy territory. The journey was arduous to the promised land. It took longer than necessary for they continually rebelled against God. Just before Exodus 15:22-27, the Israelites experienced God’s mighty hand saving them from the Egyptians. They praised the Lord and now it was time for God to lead (through Moses) them into the desert.
They sojourned for three days without water. They came upon the oasis of Marah. “Oh, praise God, water to drink,” they must have thought. Unfortunately, they found it to be bitter.
Take a moment, have you had a God moment where He came through for you, and you praised Him for it? You are filled with joy over His provision, only to move forward and find the next thing disappointing? “God, why are you good one minute and not the next,” you might ask yourself? “You answered my prayer or helped me out with this one thing, why am I facing another struggle now? What are you doing?” I would think the Israelites were questioning God when they came to the bitter water. You read that they complained and became disgruntled. Can you relate?
So, Moses prayed for help, and the Lord offered it.
God is The Provider in all circumstances.
Verse 26 reveals God’s heart towards the Israelites and for you and me today. He gives a standard for testing your faithfulness towards Him. “IF you listen carefully to the voice of the Lord and do what is right in His sight, obey His commands and keep His decrees, THEN I will not make you suffer the diseases I sent on the Egyptians.” After receiving these life-giving instructions, Moses and the Israelites left and travelled to the oasis of Elim where there were 12 springs and 70 palm trees.
Listening and following the Lord brings protection and provision for God provides abundantly to those who pray and let God have control.
Why does God allow detours, hardships, and/or pain to cross your path? It is because God must show you how much you love yourself and protect your own desires, and how that needs to change. You and I, like the Israelites, are a bit stubborn and resist obedience. Even when we know we are to be obedient, our flesh fights it. So, God allows hardships to cross our path thus giving purpose in our pain. He gets us to look up and see who He is.
The Bible has page after page of stories about God redemption for wayward man, and in every situation, those that follow God reap wonderful blessings. The New Testament tells of Jesus, the One and Only Savior, who died and resurrected to give you eternal hope of being in the presence of God for all time. He gives you the Holy Spirit on this side of heaven to take you from glory to glory, grace by grace, and transform you into His likeness.
Let God minister to you in whatever pain you are experiencing. You will receive victory through Jesus Christ.
Carol J German 