Tag Archives: worry

And yet another post on taking leaps of faith

Wastelands
Elisabeth Elliot Devotional for August 14, 2006

There are dry, fruitless, lonely places in each of our lives, where we seem to travel alone, sometimes feeling as though we must surely have lost the way. What am I doing here? How did this happen? Lord, get me out of this!

He does not get us out. Not when we ask for it, at any rate, because it was He all along who brought us to this place. He has been here before–it is no wilderness to Him, and He walks with us. There are things to be seen and learned in these apparent wastelands which cannot be seen and learned in the “city”–in places of comfort, convenience, and company.

God does not intend to make it no wasteland. He intends rather to keep us–to hold us with his strength, to sustain us with his sure words–in a place where there is nothing else we can count on.

“God did not guide them by the road towards the Philistines, although that was the shortest…God made them go round by way of the wilderness towards the Red Sea” (Ex 13:17,18 NEB).

Imagine what Israel and all of us who worship Israel’s God would have missed if they had gone by the short route–the thrilling story of the deliverance from Egypt’s chariots when the sea was rolled back. Let’s not ask for shortcuts. Let’s keep alert for the wonders our Guide will show us in the wilderness.

I was talking to Bea a little while ago and was telling her about my job hunting woes. God’s really funny in a way that when I was feeling all panicky, He sends all sorts of people and things to comfort me. Not necessarily cheer me up, but make me feel a bit better.

I’ve posted something about leaps of faith before, and it’s coming back to me again. This time it’s stronger, and somewhat more forceful. I know I need to take a leap of faith in this job thing…and it’s not just a one time big time thig, but I must make it everyday. Jump right into the challenge of life everyday, and in some ways, die from myself everyday. Die from my fears, die from my worries.

I remember saying a couple of days ago during my morning prayer: I shall remove worry from my vocabulary. I should also remove the word failure, fear, insecurity, disappointment and all those negative things that I know God doesn’t want me to feel. He’s set me free, after all. He’s made a way for me already, and I just have to take that jump and dive in head first.

I CAN DO THIS. I CAN DO THIS. I KNOW I CAN.

Lord, just please…no more pressure? That’s all I ask. Set me free from this. And please keep me patient. Give me something to do while I’m waiting so I won’t feel clock ticking. I know You have a plan for me, and I know that this is a part of Your way to shape me. Lord, please, don’t make the entire waiting process hurt too much?

I have a feeling this is going to be a long week. But I know I’ll get through this. My God is big enough.

“And the defining moment is between hearing and actually doing.”
Kiddo Cosio, August 14, 2006