Good Morning Sunshine! Nothing Was Wasted When You Wandered In The Wilderness!

Deuteronomy 2:7 ERV ~ “Remember that the LORD your God has blessed you in everything you have done. He knows about everything that happened on the trip through this great desert. The LORD your God has been with you these 40 years. You have always had everything you needed.”

Deuteronomy 8:3-4 NIV ~ “He humbled you, causing you to hunger and then feeding you with manna, which neither you nor your ancestors had known, to teach you that man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of the LORD. [4] Your clothes did not wear out and your feet did not swell during these forty years.”

When we become Christians, we feel that the Holy Spirit will lead us on peaceful journeys through this life at all times, but that is not the case, you will walk through some wildernesses! God led Jesus into the wilderness for a long and difficult time of testing and preparation for 40 days and 40 nights, the devil tried to tempt Him; Matthew 4: 1-11. Just as you are led into the wilderness and sometimes you lead yourself into those difficult journeys by not letting the Holy Spirit guide you; but nevertheless, you have wandered around the wilderness long enough, but don’t worry nothing was wasted, God did it on purpose!

Just as the Israelites; you have spent years on a journey that should have lasted for a few days. It was not the distance that stood between them and the promised land, it was the condition of their hearts, just like you, it is the condition of your heart that keeps you from reaching the promise. God’s purpose for the journey in the wilderness will prepare you to live in total obedience to Him, the journey is painful, dying to self and obeying is tough, but it is necessary for your preparation and His purpose in your life for the long run!

The Lord led the people through the wilderness with a purpose. It was not a waste of time for them or you to wander in the wilderness the over these last years. Yes, I know it’s been trying and testing, but all it had a reason. God wanted to humble them and test their hearts to see what was in it! You do know that this is what He is doing to you, He wants to know what is at the core of your heart; and will you keep His commands!

I want you to think about this for a moment, God brought the people in the wilderness so that they would become humble and show what was really in their hearts. Let’s look at verse three again closely, you need to see exactly what God did, “And he humbled you and let you hunger so that He could feed….” Do you see God’s hand all over this, you being hungry in the wilderness was not by accident? God did it, so that He could provide you with bread from His mouth! God let them hunger in the wilderness to humble them! God let you be hungry to humble you! What you went through or whatever you are going through was created to draw you to depend on God! He used this so that you could learn to live with Him and not without Him, you need Him for everything!  (3b, “That he might make you know that man does not live by bread alone, but man lives by every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord”)

This is the reason that you have had some difficulties, it was to humble you in the wilderness! You needed to be tested! You needed to have what’s really in your heart revealed to God and to you, you need to see you with your own eyes! These difficulties will let you know if will obey God or not! This humbling experience in the wilderness will shatter your pride and selfishness! Life has a way of bringing things front and center in your life! God is trying to teach you a critical truth while you are in the wilderness; life is about trusting in God. In particular, life is about trusting in what God says not what you feel like! God did more than just give you food in the wilderness, it was to teach you that God is able to provide you and not just food but everything you need! Sometimes all you can see is that God will provide. But the greater message is that the words that promised bread came from the same mouth that promised you everything else. By receiving the Word of God and enjoying the provisions that God gave, you can enjoy the promises as well, for both came out of God’s mouth!

I need you to see one more thing, they wandered for 40 years, their shoes never wore out and their feet never swelled! Only God can do that! You should be fully aware of this one thing now, more than ever, God takes care of those He chooses. God is providing for you in your wilderness and yes you can fully rely on God for every promise that He promised, it will come to pass, you just have to have the right heart to receive it! You have to trust every Word that comes out of His mouth! You will have to obey every word that God gives on this journey; this is the only way that you are going to survive the journey! On the journey in the wilderness God is going to teach you things that you could not learn anywhere else, He is teaching you who you will become through the Holy Spirit. God says you will be blessed! God is giving you knowledge and wisdom, power and strength and the ability to have understanding and be able to make good choices! God has given you everything that you need today! You are going to make it!

Let’s Pray:
Father, Thank You! Father teach me today how to fully rely on you on my journey in the wilderness. Help me to know that I can make it with Your help, for You said that You would never leave or forsake me, that You are always right here with me no matter what! Father, thank You for sustaining me as I walk through the wilderness, thank You for drawing me directly to You, and for not letting me get worn down as I walked. Father, Your Presence in the wilderness has humble me, Father please help me keep my heart right before You, I need You and only You can do it! Father, Thank You for Your Word, for it is sufficient for everything that I need, for the Bible tells me that I cannot live on bread on, but that I need every Word that comes out of Your mouth! Father I pray that Your word would be the center of my life and that I am totally dependent upon You day in and day out! Father, Your Word is so satisfying, and I love it more than anything else. Father I pray that others will find the love and joy that Your Word brings and how it curves our hunger, and we grow stronger and stronger each day, because we feast on You. In Jesus Christ Name. Amen!

Blessings…
Love, Minister Jean