Stuck In The Same Place Too Long

 Reading the Bible Through

As I mentioned  in my previous blog post, the book of Deuteronomy opens with a new generation standing at the edge of the promised land.  They have wandered in the desert for 40 years and the Israelites who left Egypt have died out and the new generation is ready to take possession of the land of promise. Moses is speaking to the children of Israel and in this passage providing a historical recap to this new generation.

In reading the first few chapters of this book it becomes clear that God was concerned with His people's  progress.  The Lord had given them  the land of promise, but the Israelites kept getting stuck in one place and He had to move them forward.  In Deut 1:6  He told them they had stayed at Mt. Sinai long enough and it was time to move out.  In Deut 1:46 we see they had to stay in Kadesh as long as they did because of their rebellion.  Now we see the Lord again telling them it is time to move on.

"You've been traveling around this hill country long enough; turn north." Deut. 2:3

It seems that the Israelites have been stuck in the same place, apparently going around in circles.  They weren't making progress just simply covering the same territory over and over again.  God told them they had wandered around this hill country long enough it was time to change direction.  So they had a choice to make.  They could stay where they were and continue to go in in circles OR they could change direction and move forward to the place God had for them.

I think back to times that I have traveled around  far too long-circling the mess of my life for years with no real change.  I knew that something needed to change, but that change would take some sacrifice, that honestly,  I was just unwilling to make.  Perhaps we are circling around and around because of a hurt, a loss of some sort that has us feeling broken.   I have heard it said, "It is okay to be broken but it isn't okay to stay that way."  Some of us have been stuck in the same place for years and years because of an offense, a loss, marital problems, financial struggles, fertility issues-the list could go on and on.  That struggle has led to bitterness and/or brokenness and it has defined us.  Because we have allowed it to define us, it has caused us to feel hopeless and set up detrimental thought patterns.  

God wants us to move "north," changing our direction, because He is concerned about our progress too. We can change our direction by focusing our thoughts on His Word.  Philippians 4:8 provides insight as to how we can change those negative patterns of thought.  We also can begin to move "north" by choosing to see these struggles as a way that God is refining us.  Joseph endured great hardship and found himself in some messes, some of which he may have brought on himself, but most he did not.  He was able to look back on those and say that while his brothers intended to harm him that God used it for good. Gen 50:20  Whatever has happened to you, the enemy of our souls wants to harm you and keep you stuck.  The enemy doesn't want you to move forward.   He wants your struggle to define you! 

You can be certain that God can take our mess and our struggles and use them not just for our good, but the good of others and most importantly for His glory.   In order to make kingdom impact it is necessary we move forward.  He has great promise awaiting us and the victory of walking in abundant life to but first He may be saying to us,  "Turn north."  

God is concerned with our progress.  He wants us to walk forward in victory, but we can't do that if we just keep circling the same ground over and over again!