It must have been something to see…
Israel’s longtime leader, Moses, had just died and the people now stood at a point in their history which called them to rise up under new leadership to go in and possess the land promised to them. An idealized view of this moment would have captured the people expressing great courage and fearlessness. Although they did show bravery, God felt it was necessary to repeat one particular exhortation to them before they attempted the feat. First, He spoke it over their leader, Joshua, and then through him to the people (Deut.31:6-7,23;Josh.1:6-7,9,18;10:25).
“Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go.” (Joshua 1:9)
I feel I have come to a similar place recently. It feels like I am standing at a pivotal point feeling Father calling me to cross over into the “land” He has for me. On a recent trip back to Saskatchewan I realized I had come to the end of a season there. Everything I had known and thought would be has changed. Although I experience a real sense of Father God’s presence in the transition it has not come without anxiety. My physical body has even erupted with some symptoms of anxiety at times. There have been sleepless nights and emotional days. All these things naturally accompany change and transition.
To quote something I heard recently, “the only thing constant in our world is change”.
Change is something that our human psyche really struggles with.
A New Normal
On many levels our whole world stands at a pivot point trying to grapple with a “new normal”. The pandemic has left us fundamentally different and each one of us is dealing with it differently. The way we relate to our governments, each other, and our sense of control and safety has been affected.
As I drove home on my trip I had a profound experience. At one point while driving, I could feel something welling up inside of me so I asked Holy Spirit to reveal what it was and He did. What He showed me was a picture of myself as a little girl holding on to the past season and saying, “I don’t want to let it go”. I knew, however, that I had to let it go. There was a sense inside me that something better was coming and even though I didn’t know what it was I knew it is good. By His grace I let go. At that moment tears welled up and overflowed but it felt wonderful. I decided I would “cross over” the “Jordan River” of my life in order to discover what He has for me on the other side.
Some years back I was deeply impacted as Father God implanted in me a desire to have His best in every area of my life. Since then, the possibility of having His best continually confronts any desire in me to settle. I can’t settle because I’ve been awakened to the fact that there is more. It isn’t driving me – it’s inviting me.
The abundant life God has for us has come to us as an invitation not a demand. It’s a gift not a reward.
The Words We Need To Hear
The life we want to live is just on the other side of what we are afraid to face. I believe He’s calling to us now. The courage to follow Him, however, comes from the belief in His promise that “I will be with you, I will not abandon you”.
On my trip I realized the fear of His abandonment was the hurdle I was facing. This is the truth we need to know on the inside. It takes an honest process with God to see and admit areas where we are not actually believing Him. Then we can ask Him to come into those areas and help us believe.
Faith is growing stronger for me in this area every day. God is on the move. It is a new season. And in this new season He is here with us, He hasn’t left. I know now more than I did before that He won’t leave.
As you process the impact of our changed world in your life and heart I want to leave you with the one thing we really need to know in transition. The Israelites were not the only people God thought it was important to make the promise of His presence to. He repeats Himself again in the New Testament making it a consistent promise applicable to all of us,
“Don’t love money; be satisfied with what you have. For God has said, ‘I will never fail you. I will never abandon you’”(Heb.13:5).
My soul is continually learning to be satisfied with what I have which is Him. No matter what comes or what happens we will always have Him. This is a comfort I’ve been searching for in these transitional times.
I hope His words will be a true comfort to you as well today. If we could grasp the magnitude of what we have in Him how it would change the way we see ourselves and this world! I pray it will. Let’s move forward with confidence in the One who will never fail.
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