Some photos used in this blog post were created by and belong to Kevin Carden. He’s a fabulous artist and I highly recommend you check out his work.
How many times do we go through the struggles of life and feel like God/Yahweh has abandoned us? When the things we pray for just don’t happen. When we just feel like we’re suffocating by the waves that just keep coming.
Sometimes life is hard, and we experience things that are indescribable. These experiences can put us in a place where we experience such despair and just want to give up…
Recently, our family been in a season where the rocks just keep falling. It seems as soon as we move the rocks to stand, another bolder falls. We’ve felt weary and simply exhausted.
There was one week where I just truly felt abandoned. I sat in my prayer space and just broke. I sobbed and sobbed. I cried out to God/Yahweh. I surrendered to all the feelings and worries I’d had. I felt his peace and reassurance.
In these moments, the enemy works so hard to make us feel alone, a failure, unwanted, unloved and so many other unfruitful lies. We get to decide if we’re going to accept these lies as our identity OR if we’re going to remember who we are in Messiah.
“He will cover you with his pinions,
and under his wings you will find refuge;
his truth is a shield and protection.”
– Psalm 91:4
It is in these seasons; I am reminded of all the individuals who traveled in or experienced what’s known as the ‘wilderness season’ in scripture.
Hagar is one who has stood out to me the most over the last couple of years. You find Hagar in the book of Genesis. Hagar was an Egyptian slave (a Gentile) who was the maidservant of Sarah the wife of Abraham. Hagar ends up in the wilderness of Beersheba alone with her son Ishmael. As we read, we come to understand that she’s giving up on living not only for herself, but also her son. She has no place to go or even the strength to go on. Scripture says she “cried out and wept”. That in that moment of desperation God/Yahweh saw and heard her. He appeared to her providing her and her son water to drink. He also blesses her and makes her a promise. A promise that we still see today.
In that moment Hagar gives God/Yahweh the name, El Roi. Which means ‘God who sees”. He saw her. The same as he sees us, YOU now.
I’ve come to look at these hard wilderness seasons of life as refinement. I try to look for the blessings and keep my attention focused on God/Yahweh.
Take Courage!
I just want to encourage you despite the season you are in! Feel the feelings you have been given, but don’t stay there wallowing in them. Keep pressing forward!
If you’re a believer in Yeshua/Jesus and have accepted him as your Lord and savior, you my friend have the Holy Spirit indwelling within you. How can you be alone if you have the Holy Spirit? That’s right, you can’t. He is ALWAYS with you and he will NEVER leave you.
You are seen by El Roi and he loves you.
This 3-day devotional is free with the YouVersion Bible app. ‘El Roi: Encounter the God Who Sees You’.
If you are really struggling, I encourage you to seek medical help. I myself have used medical professional help over the years. It’s not a bad thing to ask for help. There are people there to support and help you through all aspects of your life. Praying blessings over you.
“Be strong, be bold, don’t be afraid or frightened of them, for Adonai your God is going with you. He will neither fail you nor abandon you.”
– Deuteronomy 31:6
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