Exodus 15:22 Then Moses led the people of Israel away from the Red Sea, and they moved out into the desert of Shur.
“‘What-if’ everything you are going through is preparing you for what you asked for.”
The process is as important as the end-product. The final product may not always reflect the design, the planning and creativity, but the time and energy invested will define the value and worth of the product. Even ‘fast food’ is a combination of pre-prepared and processed ingredients that is either reheated, cooked or assembled in a short period of time. The actual production of the elements happens at a central supply chain facility.
Good things take time. “Really good things take time to grow. Foundation is not built overnight.”- Iggy Azalea. Rome was not built in one day.
We enjoy the end-result but not so much the process that prepares us for success. As for the Israelite slaves, the desert traverse that the Lord took them through did not have any trace of the Promised Land flowing with milk and honey. The dearth and dryness were to prepare them for the triumphant possession. God led them through the desert to build their faith and regulate their emotions, reactions, and behaviour. However, no matter how many tests the Lord put them through, they miserably failed by grumbling and grouching. Why did you bring us up out of Egypt to this terrible place? It has no grain or figs, grapevines or pomegranates. And there is no water to drink! (Numbers 20:5). They refused to go through the process of building their trust in the Lord hence never developed the immunity to resist, fight and overthrow the giants in Canaan.
Three lessons from the imprudent Israelite generation:
- Test: The test was to trust in God’s provision, protection, and providence. Then the LORD said to Moses, “I will rain down bread from heaven for you. The people are to go out each day and gather enough for that day. In this way I will test them and see whether they will follow my instructions (Exodus 16:4). The delayed promotion, the croaky boss, the tight financial situation, or the rebellious child is only a desert that is preparing us for the Promised Land.
- Trial: The trip and wandering around the mountain was to repent and reconnect. You have wandered round these highlands long enough; turn and go north (Deuteronomy 2:3). If we face the same trial in different shapes and forms God is trying to get our attention. Pure gold is tested with fire. When all the impurities are burnt away, we are left with 24 karat gold. The purifying process is only a preparation before the promotion.
- Travesty: The travesty polluted them with a distorted image of God. Complaining, lamenting, and wailing will usurp joy and peace from our life. Praise, humility, and gratitude will shape our triumph. Learning to praise God and remaining humble and grateful in the desert will open the door to our blessing and breakthrough.
The difficult process is the pathway to our Promised Land.
Hebrew 3:8 “Do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion, in the day of testing in the wilderness.”
Prayer: Father in Heaven, give me the patience to go through the process and inherit the promises that you have given me. Amen.
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