Restored: Transforming the Sting of Your Past Into Purpose for TodaySample

Feeling Stuck

There is a story in the book of Exodus that I didn’t learn about until much later in my life, but it really helps me understand what might be happening in God’s world while I am feeling stuck in my world.

The nation of Israel had served as slaves in Egypt for four hundred years. Then God worked on Israel’s behalf, and Egypt let the entire nation of Israel leave the country to find their own personal freedom and national independence.

Their life as a nation actually mirrors a lot of the ups and downs we all go through as we make our faith journeys. As God led Israel on the path to discovering this promised land, the most astonishing thing happened for them: “The Lord went ahead of them. He guided them during the day with a pillar of cloud, and He provided light at night with a pillar of fire...And the Lord did not remove the pillar of cloud or pillar of fire from its place in front of the people” (Exodus 13:21–22).

But what we so easily forget is that when we walk by faith, and God seems to have shifted from sight, He is still leading us. When the Israelites found themselves pursued by the army of Egypt, what had not changed was God’s presence. It had only shifted from leading in the front to protecting them from the rear. It is the same with your situation. God has not left you alone in your stuck moment. He’s still there! But why would He not allow you in a moment of great fear to see Him in the ways you always have?

I think we find the answer in Exodus 14:19–20. In this moment, God went from guiding Israel to protecting them. Could He do both at the same time? Sure! But maybe this moment was more about teaching His people than proving His abilities. They had already come to know God as their Guide; now, they would know Him as their Protector.

When we stand confident when the rest of the world has caved in to fear or thrown in the towel when we stand in the gap when everyone has told us we should walk away, we can see hopeless circumstances changed, callous hearts softened, and opportunities provided that never would have come if we hadn’t trusted and waited.

Is it hard to find God in your present circumstance? Knowing that He has not left, why may His Presence have shifted?