Are You In The Jungle?
Picture this, if you will: You are surrounded by thick brush and cannot see your way. You don't know where to turn - which direction to go. It is hot and steamy. In fact, the humidity is almost more than you can bear.
You are out of water. And your food supply is all used up. The steamy rains have set in and you have no shelter... only slimy mud and a drooping, oppressive canopy of the jungle.
Wild beasts roam the jungle searching for anyone who is powerless, helpless and weak. You sense that you are being surrounded with no way out! Fear has gripped your being.
This present moment has you shaken, undone, uncomfortable, sweaty, and itching. The temperature continues to rise after the hard rain. What do you do? How will you respond ? Out of your emotions (fear, anxiety, worry, frustration, anger) or out of a place of faith? Only you get to decide. When your life is completely out of control, what and who will win the battle? fear or faith? Will you choose to focus on HIM or your circumstance?
Friends, “Welcome to the Jungle!” ...
What does the Word of God say, “Cursed is a man who trusts in man and makes flesh his strength, whose heart turns away from the Lord” ~~ Jeremiah 17:5.
God tells us through the prophet Jeremiah that he should never trust in his human strength or wisdom. This is still true for us today. Never trust in what you can see. No, you must take your eyes to a higher level.
In the jungle through the thick green thorny bush where you cannot see, you must trust, surrender, let go and allow God to open the path. Let Him cut through the heavy bush and clear a way, where there seems to be no way! Allow yourself to be "beautifully broken before The Lord."
The psalmist reminds us “He makes my feet like hinds’ feet, and sets me upon my high places” ~~ Psalms 18:33 (NASB)
Will you believe this scripture to be true in your life?
In Jeremiah's day, the people turned away from God and hardened their hearts. They stiffened against trusting God. And despite Jeremiah seeing the gross sin of the people he exclaims: “Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, whose trust is in the Lord. He is like a tree planted by water, that sends out its roots by the stream, and does not fear when heat comes, for its leaves remain green. It is not anxious in the year of doubt, for it does not cease to bear fruit" ~~ Jeremiah 17: 7-8.
The jungle is hot and can wear you down. Even if that jungle is normal everyday life, it can leave you exhausted, unable to see a clear, wise path ahead, and nothing makes sense. Distractions flood our minds and leave us with little clarity on how to proceed. In battles like this we must make the choice to think and say and do only what glorifies and honors God.
In Times Like These ...
We must rejoice and call out to the God Almighty Who saves and redeems. I know, because He rescued me from my jungle. For His Word says, “He trains my hands for battle. So that my arms can bend a bow of bronze” ~~ Psalms 18:34.
When we cry out to Him, “God give me eyes to see that You are taking me higher and higher, so that I can climb over this bush and out of this jungle. I trust You to show me the way, for You ARE the Way!”
See, even though you and I cannot see with our natural eyes which way to go, when we don't know what to do, we are to choose to trust HIM Who can and does see. I have discovered that He is trustworthy. He is my faithful Warrior, Leader, my Commander-In-Chief. In the midst of the jungle I find myself in, He knows the way; He goes before me, and He is my rear guard!
“You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.” ~~ Psalms 23:5
We Hope In His Word ...
His Word give us His hope when we choose to fix our eyes on Him. He will stomp and trample down our enemy - everything that is in our way. His Word promises this! My Fearless Warrior sets up a table in the middle of the jungle; a table that allows me to feast on His truth.
Are you willing to sit at the table in the midst of your jungle? What would the shift in your life look like? If you came to middle of the jungle, laid your backpack down, and just sat down at His table? Are you willing to invite suffering, sorrow, envy, sadness, hurt, rejection, abandonment, loss, and loneliness to be there with you, if need be? To be beautifully broken, before your Almighty King Jesus. To exchange these negative emotions with His peace and rest. You see, only Jesus can lead us all the way through our lives and cause us to become like Him. He is the One Who develops in us His love, His peace, His patience, and everything else that is godly. Only He can give you eyes to see His great Kingdom. Remember when you are surrounded by the enemy, you are also surrounded by HIM!
We must make the choice to rejoice even in times of suffering and sorrow, in our imperfections, and when we lack the knowledge or discernment as to which choice to make. We purpose to make the choice to rejoice in HIM Who chose us first! Yes, we make the choice right now to focus on what is ahead and not behind. Then as we trust Him by faith, we are changed into His image.
Will You Consider?...
Press out your fear, and stand on your faith. No matter how hot or how hard your path gets, will you choose Him? Allow Him to fight for you.
Exodus 14:14 says, “The Lord will fight for you, and you have only to be silent.” What a promise from our great KING!
You see, the enemy (fear, rejection, abandonment, loss, sorrow, sadness) can only win if we surrender to them and believe that to be our story.
Consider These Biblical Promises ...
“Turn to me and be gracious to me, for I am lonely and afflicted. The troubles of my heart are enlarged; bring me out of my distresses. Consider my afflictions and my trouble, and forgive all my sin.” ~~ Psalms 25:16-18.
“O guard my soul and deliver me! Let me not be put to shame, for I take refuge in you. May integrity and unrighteousness preserve me, for I wait for you. Redeem Israel, O God out of all his troubles” ~~ Psalms 25:20-22.
“You will call to Me and come and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. You will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart. I will be found by you”—this is the LORD’s declaration— “and I will restore your fortunes and gather you from all the nations and places where I banished you”— this is the LORD’s declaration. “I will restore you to the place I deported you from” ~~ Jeremiah 29:12-14 (HCSB).
“Therefore encourage one another and build each other up as you are already doing… And we exhort you, brothers: warn those who are irresponsible, comfort the discouraged, help the weak, be patient with everyone” ~~ 1 Thessalonians 5:11, 14 (HCSB).
Let Us Pray Together ...
Father God, we desperately need You to show us the way. Let us sit at Your table in the midst of our jungle and be at peace because we are with You. We purpose to trust You, learn from You, and respond like You do even when things are not pleasant.
Forgive me when I react instead of pressing through to rest in You and trust You. I praise You ahead of time that You are showing me the way through the jungle, through the desert, through this life with all the trouble I see all around. I now receive Your peace and Your wisdom. You know the way.
I purpose to follow You all my days for my good and for Your glory. In Jesus' Name, Amen.
What Is Your Story? ...
What story are you writing for your life? What do you believe as you walk through the jungle? Are you willing to sit at the Lord's table, to receive from Him, and rejoice?
We would love to hear from you how God is helping you write your story - afresh and anew as you follow after Him. Click on comments below.
Please Feel Free to Share This Blog with Others ...
It’s my privilege to say, “We are here for you. You are safe here. We have spiritual bread for those who are hungry. Let us pray with you today.”
~~ Elizabeth Bowman