Personal
Exodus
By Jen Wollner
“Why am I
discouraged? Why am I restless? I trust you! I will praise you again because
you help me, and you are my God!”
Psalm 43:5 (CEV)
Do you ever long for the “good ol’
days”? Wishing you were back in a place in your life where things were simple?
Predictable? Safe?
I’ve been struggling with those
thoughts a lot lately. I’m finding myself thinking back to a few months ago
when my life was comfortable and unknowns were minimal. I was excited about
changes happening in my life and the adventures they’d bring. Changes my
husband and I had planned for our family. Changes we believed were being guided
by the hand of our God. But, unexpectedly, we now we find ourselves in turmoil
and trouble. Unplanned changes have come upon us and uncertainty is the
defining theme of our lives. We feel as though we are wandering around in the
“desert,” instead of enjoying the journey of getting to the “promised land” we
thought we’d be in by now.
In the book of Exodus, we read about
the Israelites and their literal wandering in the desert after God rescued them
from 430 years of slavery in Egypt. They pleaded with Him for years to free
them but now, as they struggle through the desert looking for the Promised Land
God clearly said He was giving to them, they have only one thing on their
minds: the good ol’ days. One moment they are celebrating their freedom by
praising God through song (Exodus 15:1-21), and the next, complaining
about their circumstances and reminiscing about how good they had it in Egypt (Exodus 16:3)!
Sometimes we find ourselves in our
own personal “exodus.” We welcome the Lord’s leading as we move forward in our
lives. But when the journey doesn’t look the way we think it should - - when
trials come and we find ourselves wandering and waiting in the desert - - we
long for the past, even if that past included slavery or oppression. Anything
predictable is more appealing than the unknown.
In my time in the desert, God has
been teaching me that looking back steals our joy for the amazing future He has
planned for us. Our focus ought to be on Him, trusting Him to be with us
through the difficult part of the journey and to lead us in the way we should
go. All the way to the joyous Promised Land!
GOING DEEPER:
1. Do you find yourself in a
“desert” today? In what ways have you taken your eyes off of Him and lost your
joy? For what do you have to be grateful in this journey?
2. Who in your life is struggling?
How can you encourage her toward the Lord as she walks through this difficult
time?
FURTHER READING:
Jen and her
husband are busily parenting three elementary-aged children. She serves on the
leadership team for Mission: Hope, Oakwood’s orphan care ministry.
