In Nehemiah 9:23-25 you read the retelling of the faithfulness of God to deliver the people of Israel to the Promised Land:
“You made their sons as numerous as the stars in the sky, and you brought them into the land that you told their fathers to enter and possess. Their sons went in and took possession of the land. You subdued before them the Canaanites, who lived in the land; you handed the Canaanites over to them, along with their kings and the peoples of the land, to deal with them as they pleased. They captured fortified cities and fertile land; they took possession of houses filled with all kinds of good things, wells already dug, vineyards, olive groves and fruit trees in abundance. They ate to the full and were well-nourished; they reveled in your great goodness.”
God took the Israelites into the Promised Land, just like He said He would do. Have you ever taken the time to look at a map of Israel…the Promised Land? I can honestly say until today, I haven’t given it much thought. However, today, the Lord nudged me to take a minute and pull up a map and look at it and research the natural climate of the area. Guess what I found? The Promised Land has mountains, valleys, bodies of water and even desert land. If you research the natural hazards in the area, the list reads: “sandstorms may occur during spring and summer; droughts; periodic earthquakes.” Earthquakes in the promise land. Does God know about that?
Many of us think if we reach our own promise land, we will be without struggles or problems. We think it is going to be a walk down easy street. This is proof otherwise. The Israelites entered the Promised Land and they still encountered mountains, valleys and desert land.
As Christians, we will STILL have difficult times and go through… hardships. Jesus himself tells us so [John 16:33]. Yet, we do not have to go through these difficult times alone. He sent the Holy Spirit to be with us and comfort us through those times [John 14:16-17]. He also has called us to care for one another as the body of Christ [John 13:34; Galatians 6:2]. And we are told in 1 Peter 1: 6-7 that our trials and suffering have a purpose.
Don’t lose heart and think you’ve been abandoned if you are going through tough times. Press in and look for Jesus in the midst of it all. He’s there, with you every step of the way. He is loving you, carrying you, encouraging you and teaching you. And ultimately, He will bless you through the tough stuff. You’ll be better off for having gone through the tough stuff and you will be able to minister to others because of it. I’m living proof this happens.