God’s journey of faithfulness for you

I think the Old Testament gets a bad rap. It’s difficult to get through in some points (ahem, Numbers, ahem), the rules and regulations seem intense, and why can’t you ever seem to find the right book in between all those minor prophets? It can be hard to see the beauty in it, but it’s there and it’s amazing. For example, where do most of your favorite children’s Bible stories come from – like Creation, Noah’s Ark, David and Goliath? The Old Testament. It also sets the story for why and how Jesus came to save our world, and shows God’s perfect love and plan for us.

Some of the places I see God’s love for and struggle with humanity is in Exodus and Deuteronomy. It’s always surprised me how the Israelites could see God provide for them in such a powerful way, like performing the miracles to help them escape Egypt, and still turn their backs on him in a heartbeat. And yet, I do the same thing. The minute things aren’t going the way I want or expect them to, I can question God, get angry with him, wonder about his goodness.

In particular, the Israelites refuse to go up to fight for their Promised Land, even though God has told them that he will fight for them. In the time it takes to choose between faith and fear, they go all-in for the fearful option. Because of their lack of faith and trust, despite all the miracles God has shown them, he keeps them from entering the wonderful land he has promised them, and instead saves it for their children. It can seem harsh, but it wasn’t the first time the Israelites had disobeyed God.

But then God does something that stands out to me. As they wait in the desert, he takes them to different places, which Moses recounts in Deuteronomy 2. He leads them past the descendants of Esau, the Moabites, and the Ammonites; all related to the Israelites, all people to whom God made a promise. All of these groups of people have come to rest in a place promised and provided for them by God. The scriptures even go so far as to let us know that the places were formerly owned by big strong people that God drove out, so that his promised nations would receive the land.

God takes the Israelites on a journey to show them his faithfulness. He didn’t let down their relatives, and he hasn’t let them down. He is reminding them that he is in control, and that he would provide, when the Israelites chose to be faithful.

Again, there have been many times when something challenging happens to me, and I immediately question God. I start to act more out of fear – out of wanting control and out of self-preservation – instead of trusting that God will come through like he has in the past. It comes out in different ways: I’ll avoid a conflict, or get completely wrapped up in my anxiety until I end up not doing anything.

It’s in those times, I need to take a journey through all the ways God has been faithful to me. All the times he has protected me from harm, all the people he has allowed me to meet and connect with at just the right time, all the miraculous ways he has intervened, all the blessings he has provided. When I look at all those things, I’m reminded of how much he loves me, and it gives me more courage to be faithful.

I know for me, I think back to when I found out I was pregnant, at a surprising and critical moment (more on that another time). I also think about when my grandmother passed away, and how God was showing us his love in various ways even through such a sad time. I think about everything that led to me ending up with my husband. God is always working.

Whatever you’re going through, I encourage you to embrace God’s journey of faithfulness for you. What is he trying to show you during this time? In what ways has he gotten you through difficult situations in the past? How is he trying to show you his faithfulness now? Sometimes even in challenging moments, God is showing us encouragement to keep going, because he is with us.

So now your turn – share something below about God has come through for you in the past, in big or small ways.