Let me take a deep breath before writing today… Take one with me… 1.2.3…. breaaaathe…. innnnnnn…. and ouuuuut….

Okay, that felt pretty good didn’t it? If you need to take a few more, go right ahead.. these words aren’t going anywhere! Just come back when you are ready to finish reading about our amazing God!

I got to a place in my life today where I began to get frustrated with certain circumstances. I know we have all been here before and as you are reading, I am currently there now. So that you can understand my level of frustration(s)… I went for a walk/jog in 30-degree weather! But God used it! I knew I needed to not sit around and allow myself to drag me further into a rabbit hole of negative thoughts, so I did what I usually do to spiritually fight… I physically fought through a walk/jog! I decided to call a friend to help me organize my thoughts and reign them back into positivity and this is when God showed up. She didn’t answer! So instead of being able to blab my frustrations to her, I took them to God! Yes, I have done this before, but who agrees it’s nice to have someone physically communicate with you as well?? After I blabbed to God, my friend called back and I unloaded on her and she returned the favor by unloading God’s truth, love, and wisdom back to me! (ps… get you some friends like this!!) After she gave me, what seems like every encouragement I was fighting against, I told her, “You know how the enemy likes to get into your head and tell you, “see… you shouldn’t have ____________”, after you KNOW God told you to do _____________.” I told her that is what was happening. I was starting to think like the Israelites yall. I was beginning to think that going back to bondage and slavery was better for me than continuing to trust in God (Exodus 16). However, during this walk, God reminded me, through a fellow believer/sister in Christ, and through memorizing His word (the Bible), that it is better to continue trusting His ways than going back to doing it the old way! God wanted to do to the Israelites, what He desires to do through all of us… change our way of thinking and depending! Often times we start to feel lost in the wilderness of life and we begin to crave the comforts we have left behind, and God simply wants us to trust in Him to continue to provide for our needs!! I can tell you this confidently because if you go read Exodus 16, you will understand that the Israelites did the same thing, they wanted to go back to something that seemed comforting, even if reality was bondage. Leaning on God will set us free of the need to run back to the comforts that are honestly harmful to us! And God is such a good God that even while we are lost and grumbling, He still provides. He did this for the Israelites!!! He told Moses He was getting ready to bless them because he HEARD their complaints (Exodus 16:7). So, my encouragement to you is to do what the Israelites did… take your complaints to God, He is the only one that will (first) know what to do with them, and (second) know the exact amount or provision you need to continue on your journey! Remember, God provided food for their physical hunger, the thing they were complaining about. He provided JUST enough, told them not to take more or less than each house needed. So, another encouragement would be for you to take your eyes off other people’s lives for just a brief moment, look at your situation and see if the provision is already there. If it isn’t, cry out to God for what you need! We serve a good God, one that wants to bless us and carry us through each day, He does just ask, for one thing, to obey His word.

Read Exodus 16 today, read it in different versions, a great link is to use the YouVersion bible if you need to access a free online bible. Ask God to reveal himself through His words to you!

Prayer:

God, I thank you for what you were able to show me today, you reminded me of the need for community and the importance of your word! I thank you that even though we all have days of feeling lost, your word tells us you will never leave us nor forsake us! We are NOT alone and I am so thankful that you are able to show up differently for each and every person’s needs! God, I ask that whoever is reading this blog today, that they will begin to read your word and you will light their path for them the same you did for me! God, I ask that you would show up, uniquely for them, just as you have uniquely created them to receive your love! God, I thank you for being the real comfort we need, and please show us your love, prepare our hearts to receive your love! In Jesus’ name, I trust and believe, amen!