Surely what God gives us is always good and will be good forever... nope! Not always. I would even be bold enough to say that God's past blessings could be your current hinderance. Stick with me for 5mins and see what you think! See other post about blessings here.
It feels wrong doesn't it? Can what God gives to bless us do anything but bless?!
Let me just fire off a few quick examples just to get your brain tickled...
1) Mana from heaven (fresh bread that came directly from heaven to feed the Israelites in the desert), it was good BUT it went off and was crawling with maggots the very next day. It didn't stay good! (Exodus 16)
2) The bronze snake made by Moses that healed the people when they looked at it (Num 21) later became a stumbling block, so much so it had to be smashed (2 Kings 18)
3) The Incarnate Christ... WHAAT!!!??? Yes, Jesus, a blessing, literally the ultimate provision in human flesh. But once He fulfilled His task even Jesus would would have become a hinderance to believers versus the Holy Spirit being given. Jesus said it, not me! (John 16:7).
4) The Law - Once a gift to God's people on how to live rightly. Yet now superseded by Christ to the point where the law is a 'curse' (to quote Paul in Galatians).
5) The Israelites were brought to Egypt to save them, they were fed and blessed, Egypt literally saved their lives... fast fwd and the same place make them slaves.
What God has given to you in the past may now be in your way!
We all want to 'LIVE OUR BEST LIFE!' but we can get sidetracked. If you feel like you are stuck, like you're on the hamster wheel and not going anywhere, then just maybe this is part of your problem.
If you've made it this far then you're at least open to the idea... So, let's dive a little deeper and see what wisdom God's word may have to share with us.
The story of the Israelites being slaves in Egypt is commonly talked about in church. I have mentioned it in sermons myself many times... However, what's rarely said is that they were there out of choice! They were not taken against their will and enslaved. They went to Egypt out of desperation, when they arrived they received a warm invitation because they were Joseph's (yes the one with the jazzy coat) family and afforded special treatment, honour and a provision. What began as a HUGE blessing later became a prison.
So, let us just pause and ask a few questions. The Bible tells in Genesis 49 that Jacob's (called Israel, father of Joseph) dying request was that they take him to be buried in the same place as Abraham and Sarah back in their home land. Egypt had been a great blessing, but God had already given them Canaan as the place to live. I would like to suggest that this was the prompt for Joseph and the rest of the tribe to leave Egypt and return to the home God had given. Could it be that they outstayed the temporary provision and forgot the larger vision? It is worth noting that God had given a much bigger promise and dream than simply doing well in Egypt. He had already said that He wanted to make them in to a great nation, this would be impossible while guests in Egypt. It was now hindering the higher call.
Let's fast forward along the story, everyone who knew Joseph had long gone and the new Pharaoh felt threatened by the number of Israelites now living amongst them (Start of Exodus). The nervous and opportunistic Egyptians started to oppress them and eventually enslaved them until God set them free, using Moses, and a series of crazy plagues. The escape is spectacular, with its climax being the famous parting of the Red Sea so the Israelites could flee to safety. God told them to keep moving, not to stay there, in the wilderness, but to get their butts to the promised land. He provides miraculously for them with Manna (like a bread) and quail to eat, He gives the people the law and ways to live and worship together... BUT, it is not for them to stay there! The story famously leads to the people being on the edge of the promised land and then doubting God, refusing to go any further. Twelve scouts are sent out and when they return they tell the people that its impossible the people are powerful, their towns are fortified and there are even giants! Only Joshua and Caleb say different with the encouragement that 'we can take it'. They exchange the BIG promises for their future with the temporary blessings experienced in the present. The result is that the Israelites walk around the desert for a further 40 years! The place of safety having escaped Egypt, 'the provision', the place where God had met them in pillars of fire, fed them with manna had once again become their prison...! (Exodus & Numbers)
Do we exchange the BIG promises of our future with the temporary blessings experienced in the present?
Let's reflect. Is it possible that God has asked you to keep moving in certain areas but you have stopped short and settled? Where have you had a promise and a vision for the future but you have given up due to tiredness or opposition?
Perhaps you are circling the desert for another reason, a common one which is also highlighted in this story. Disobedience. Maybe you've made crap choices, just saying, that are restricting your life from being all that God wants for it. I will be honest I think this is probably the main reason for me! Or at least it is a mixture of disobedience linked with comfort that means I don't move.
Ok let's press in a little more, then we will consider what all this means for us and some questions to ask.
Ok, final Bible passage for us to consider. Jesus walks up a mountain taking his three closest disciples, once at the top He temporarily allows some of His glory and divinity to shine through the fleshy veil of His body. The Transfiguration!!! He is not changed from the outside but what's in Him shines out. The result is blinding holiness and power causing those with him to hide their faces. The automatic reaction I think we would all share is voiced by Peter, this is great 'let's stay here!', He even offers to whip up a few tents! It was clearly a good place to be, but Jesus knew, as do we with hindsight, that it was not the best place to stay. Jesus had much greater things yet to do and His true glorification would come 3 days after His death when He was raised from death to life. (Matthew 17)
Here are some of the main reasons that our blessings can become a prison:
1) We get comfortable
2) We think God has peaked, maybe not theoretically, but we have maxed our faith
3) We gone past the pivot point of provision, we let fear of losing what we already have steal what He wants to give us
4) Previous pain, loss or disappointment
5) The dreams have become dusty / we have forgotten the vision
A few paragraphs ago I asked if there was any areas where you feel you have got stuck... are you in a metaphorical Egypt, maybe you stopped for respite and never left? Maybe you're still chewing on the manna of yesterday and haven't experienced the miraculous for years? Perhaps there is a friendship which brought healing (like the snake mentioned before) but is now sucking the life out of you?
A few things that are worth highlighting quickly. Maybe you feel frustrated but it has been two minutes and God wants you to learn patience. I lack patience often! 😬 Also, and this is a big WARNING: some things can not be included here... like marriage. You may not be vibing with your spouse, HOWEVER that is NOT something you need to move on from. They are not a metaphorical Egypt and someone else the promise land.
The above caveats said, I believe that sometimes, perhaps more often than we realise, we settle and set up camp at the place where God WAS doing something. We set up our lives where we saw Jesus do something glorious, like the disciples on the mountain, it's not wrong... it even made sense once. it's just not the fullness of what God has, He is moving you on.
Maybe you haven't experienced the miraculous in your life for a long time? Confession, I can chew on old manna for far too long! I get complacent and lazy, instead of being the first to pray for healing for a friend etc. When it comes to my own challenges I get even worse!
Perhaps your job which was once Gods provision is now a prison, the comforts of Egypt have kept you there waaay too long and God has something else for you?
Remember being obedient to God's call is not going to be easy. Imagine being one of Jesus' disciples when He told them He was going and that it would be better for them... we would all be like 'no way!'. However, Jesus, limited to being a man in one place vs His Spirit living in every 2 billion + Christians!! No comparison. Also, take note of this, when God's people said they were not going further because there were giants, they were not making it up, there were giants there. However, God's promises always lie in a land of giants to kill, or on the other side of an impassable sea. It is necessary that God calls us beyond what we know and are comfortable with, only there can we actually 'live by faith and not by sight' (2 Cor 5:7). When we are enjoying the lands beyond the sea, when places of a character once occupied by giants are now free we can say; 'With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible' (Jesus Matt 19:26). This isn't about forcing it, He is the one that provides a way and gives the victory, but, we need to keep being obedient to step into the promise.
'LIVE YOUR BEST LIFE!!' This is what the post is all about. However, let me be clear about what that is!!! I don't mean in some instagram inspired hedonistic 'best life'. Your best life isn't sipping a cocktail from an infinity pool in Dubai or opening the doors of your vintage (in a cool way) camper to the views of a deserted beach paradise. 😆 Yeah sure thats nice, and it may include those things. But God hasn't called you to string of selfies that only look good while you're young and sexy enough to pull it off. He promises a life to the full which has eternity at its core. The adventure with God is about eternal life and what we do now TOTALLY MATTERS. He wants you to live in reckless love for people and childlike faith for heaven to touch earth wherever your are! This is the promise land, this is where you will be most free and fulfilled. (ASIDE: I think I will do my next preach on 'living your best life?!', and other things Jesus didn't say... that will be fun!)
Here is my hope. That you will join me in asking Jesus to show us the areas that we're sat in the prison of past provision instead of chasing after His current purpose and blessings. Perhaps you can echo my prayer; 'Lord make me uncomfortable about any area where I am walking in the freedom beyond the sea, but not fully in the promise land you have given to me. Help me to stop chewing the manna of yesterday but seek your supernatural activity in my life today. Thank you for taking me on a faith adventure, I want to live my best life for your glory!'
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Big love
Joss 😀
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