Diary Entry 17: Leave The Familiar Behind
In a place of uncertainty it is human nature to want to go back to the familiar. The Israelites taught us this when they were faced with challenges in the wilderness. They had left their place of shame and slavery, but longed to go back when uncertainty hit. Doubt and fear filled their hearts and they found comfort in the thought of going back to their provision under oppression.
I have found myself as an Israelite many times. The security from the world sometimes seem more satisfying than walking by faith. We are serving an unseen God and when things are not going as we hoped, doubt may fill our hearts about whether we are in the right place.
The world sets up ‘security’ by systems and incentives that seduce us away from a walk of faith. The Father is loving even if we go back to Egypt, however to turn back after all you have gone through- is it worth it? Perhaps you will find yourself enslaved once again and you will repeat the cycle of trying to leave Egypt.
Maybe you find yourself in a place as the Israelites were. They were faced with a sea of water and an army behind them, they were in a desert with no water and no meat, and at one point they wondered if their leader had deserted them when he was up the mountain for 40 days.
It is in such times that we are not to panic nor do things in the flesh that bring us comfort. It is now that we ought to LEAVE WHAT IS BEHIND US, be rooted firmly in The Rock, LOOK FORWARD and UPWARD to Him, hide in the cleft of the rock, WAIT, be still, resist all doubts and thoughts, and keep loving on Him. Keep your eyes on Him away from all that easily distracts.
Holding on to God may mean moving away from what EVERYONE is doing or saying (even good meaning Christians). Most times to be able to discern His will we have to step away from all the noise and place all our confidence in Christ within.
God works His will and desires in us for His good pleasure, even when others do not understand. Our confidence cannot be in ourselves, nor others, but Christ within. Instead of trying to be what we think God or others wants us to be, we ought to stop trying and allow Him to work in us and make it plain to us. By faith. We do this by taking His word to heart: ”Be still, and know that He is God”.
By Faith alone we will be in the right place at the right time, without our emotions and flesh getting in the way. Do as Paul, LEAVE what’s behind, and press on forward for the prize that’s AHEAD.
Be led by peace.
