In his book, The Land Between, author Jeff Manion uses the story of the Israelites’ forty-year journey through the Sinai Desert as a metaphor for being in a time of testing, a trial. After generations of slavery in Egypt, the Israelites travel through the wilderness (the land between) toward the Promised Land. They crave the food of their former home and despise their present environment.

They were unable to go back and incapable of moving forward. They felt trapped.

We too are going through a wilderness experience.

The Israelites did a lot of complaining. Yet God intended them to grow during their years in the desert. He wanted to transform them from people of slavery to people of God.

When we go through our trials, I believe God has a purpose for us as well. He wants us to grow and be reshaped. During such episodes we can develop a relationship of growing trust with God. But it doesn’t happen automatically. It depends on how we respond to God during these troubled times. Do we simply complain or will we cry out to him, knowing he’s there, knowing he’s concerned?

As we cry out in pain we can be transformed, secure in the knowledge that God is listening.  He will provide us with strength, encouragement from others, solutions to our problems . . . peace.  Maybe not today . . . but eventually.

Too often we allow ourselves to become victims allowing life to control us. We don’t trust God to help us improve our situation. But when we’re passing through a wilderness experience God wants to be there for us more than anything.

We are all going through hard times. Like Moses, we too can tell God how we feel about it. Tell him:

“We are suffering God! Please help us escape this chaotic situation! We need you!”

And then . . . trust that he will hear.

marja