Sometimes I read the Old Testament and think to myself, "Wow, the Israelites were a bunch of idiots". Today, I looked back at my life, and thought to myself, "Dangit. I'm Israel. I'm the idiot.".





I've spent a lot of time learning about the Israelites the past couple of weeks. Basically, the Lord rescues them. They thank him. They forget him. He is faithful, and they are not. Over and over and over again. At some point, they end up wandering the wilderness for 40 years. Yet even in that wilderness, the Lord still provided. He was always faithful.





What a bunch of idiots.





I'm Israel. The Lord has been faithful to me. He picked me up and rescued me from a meaningless and loveless life. I thanked him. Things got tough, I slapped him in the face. I repented. He forgave me through the blood of Jesus Christ. He is always faithful. I'm faithful on occasion. Over and over and over again God has provided for me. How is it that i always forget his goodness? I never seem to understand the bigger picture. I'm such an idiot.





The past 3 months have been challenging. There have been plenty of days where I didn't seek joy in my situations. The Israelites were stuck in the wilderness for 40 years. 40 freaking years. The Lord never left them.





3 months vs. 40 years.





Deuteronomy 8. Remember the Lord.





"Who fed you in the wilderness with manna that your fathers did not know, that he might humble you and test you, to do you good in the end." Deuteronomy 8:16.





Perspective changes everything.





The death of Marty the Prius. Sometimes I hated Marty the Prius because I felt like I didn't need something so nice and because I felt like the monthly payments I was making on him were tying me down. What if the Lord took Marty away because I was becoming too dependent and comfortable with my current situation? What if whatever He has next for me would have been hindered by having to make car payments?





Not getting the internship Oklahoma. I recently applied for an internship in Oklahoma at an abuse and human trafficking shelter. I got it, but it didn't work out because I have conflicting date commitments. I am incredibly confident that the Lord has something better for me this summer. He is preparing me to follow him in a way that makes me uncomfortable. It's wonderful and terrifying.





Maybe my reasoning is completely wrong. Maybe Marty just died and maybe I didn't get the internship simply because I had prior commitments. I may never know. However, I fully believe that Jesus is working in me to bring himself glory.





We all experience wilderness. Sometimes it lasts for months, sometimes it last for years. In the Israelites' situation, it lasted for 40 years.





Be steadfast.

"For the LORD your God is bringing you into a good land, a land of brooks of water, of fountains, and springs, flowing out in the valleys and hills... And you shall eat and be full, and you shall bless the LORD your God for the good land he has given you.' Deuteronomy 8:7,10.





Find joy in the rain. Perspective changes everything. Jesus is always better.



