God never said believing in him would ensure your life didn’t have struggles. He never guaranteed that you’d be without pain or suffering. All he guaranteed you was that during those times, he would be there with you.”
–G. Michael Hopf (The Last Ride)
“Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.”
–Hebrews 12:3 (NIV)
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“This world is not my home, I’m just a passing through…and I can’t feel at home in this world anymore.”
–unknown (often attributed to Jim Reeves, claimed by A.P. Carter)
Look at the world around you, in the news, on social media, while you drive, in the stores… What in the world is going on? Voices, hundreds of them, most of them are foolish. Sounds…where is the quietness? What is happening to you on life’s journey, and remember it is a journey, not a settling place. Times of rest and relaxation are good and needed, but the travel must continue. Comfort or character? Ease or the Lord’s will? Step out, time to move on, back out into the wilderness. The wilderness of the world.
Watch out, for it seems that with each step a jumping cholla leaps out to claw at you. But is it really cholla? Dust abounds, the mouth again is dry, the lips parched. You’re not long out of the time of rest, and yet, it seems that weariness is already seeping into your body again. Why continue? It’s the same over and over: failure, weariness, despondency, blahs, the voice in your mind whispering, “stop, it’s no use, quit!” The whisperer continues, “Quit, quit…” But somehow, with strength from the Holy Spirit you take another step. The bone-weary body moves, the tired aching feet lift and another step is taken, then another, then another. One more, then one more–that is the means of survival–one more step. Reach out, the Spirit will grasp your hand—one more, another step.
You have been facing the physical, mental, and emotional struggles of the journey. You have been refreshed at the oasis or at the wells along the way, but now you find yourself, again, in the midst of struggle. The struggle of mind and spirit. Remember that the world and the enemy of your soul wants to bring desolation and then death. The fangs of the enemy lash out at us; the thorns along the way grip and tear at the flesh. We are strangers in this land, struggling through, often bleeding and torn. The sights and sounds seek to tear the life from the soul. This world, this enemy, is cruel; bringing desolation, and yes, you’ve seen them along the way, the bleached bones of the many that have given up and quit. They become snatched up, entangled in the clutches of its thorns, and listen…in the distance, the devil laughs with glee.
Hear his cackle? He laughs when the children of God are pricked by a thorn, or when the hidden serpent strikes at one of God’s own. The sting of the scorpion brings a snarling grin to his face, and he sits back in the shadows with a smirk. Another fallen? Many get caught up with the things Satan sends our way–the cares of the world, the deceitfulness of riches, the snares and obstacles along the way. One more step… Don’t get snared, trapped, or caught up with the things on the journey, but look to your Guide for help–the wonderful Holy Spirit. He will warn us of danger, put salve on our cuts, pull thorns from our flesh, and will direct us to the next tank of water. One more step…
The devil, that enemy of our souls, wants to see our bones bleached white in the sands of desolation like so many he had snared before. He wants to gloat that another has dropped along the way. Take one more step… Look up, keep your focus on Christ, faith and hope will see us through. The reason the Lord sent us to the wilderness was not for us to succumb to the devil, but to develop character and as Forrest Johnson said, “Everyday the wilderness shared some new experience.” Don’t worry, don’t be anxious, for the Master, at the right time, will bring relief and strength to the weary soul. Don’t listen to the many voices along the way; don’t listen to the voice of the devil. Just take one more step…one more step.
“I have a loving Savior up in glory-land,
I don’t expect to stop until I with Him stand…
He’s waiting now for me in heaven’s open door,
And I can’t feel at home in this world anymore.”
One more step…