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Day Six: Challenges Stand in Our Way

The people of Israel faced a valley of despair on the first leg of their journey. They probably left Egypt with a sense of victory in their hearts, thinking the journey to the promised land would be easy – a month or less. They were going to a promised land, a land flowing with milk and honey. And then they came to the Red Sea – a body of water that could not be crossed. The people stood still in their tracks. Added to this, Pharaoh had commanded his soldiers to follow after the Israelites and end their journey. It was an apparently hopeless situation. The Red Sea was before them, and they would drown if they continued on. Behind them, preventing retreat, was the army of Egyptians ready to slaughter them. And the people cried out to Moses that he had brought them on this journey only to die.

We take action to accomplish the dream, and suddenly a great obstacle stands in our way. It is not as easy as we expected; in fact, the journey seems impossible. We can feel angry at the Lord for bringing us on the journey. We see the Red Sea before us: overwhelming challenges stand in our way. And our past habits and false ways of thinking, like Pharaoh and his soldiers, come back to destroy our new efforts. Imagine an employee preparing for a large presentation, not sure he will be ready. His fear of failure is a huge obstacle before him. And old habits of procrastination and laziness come up from behind, and he can’t see a way to get through the work.

What do we do when we face a hopeless situation? The answer the Lord gives us in this state of despair is two words, the same two words He spoke to Moses when the people were ready to give up: "Go forward!" These words are probably the last we want to hear when we are in a valley of despair. How can we go forward when we are in a hopeless state of mind? How can we possibly go forward when crisis surrounds us on every side? Yet in Exodus the Lord spoke to Moses saying, "Tell the children of Israel to go forward" (Exodus 14:15). The Lord tells us to go forward in the face of apparently impossible obstacles, even when it seems we will drown in the sea that stands before us. The Lord asks us to go forward because He can see something we cannot see. He knows that when we obey His command and continue with the journey, unforeseen miracles wait for us. The Lord knows that when we take the initiative in the face of certain death, He will part the seas that stand before us.

Insight
Prayer is useful, and prayer alone is not enough. We need to act as well.

Key Point
The Lord knows that when we obey His commands and continue with the journey, unforeseen miracles wait for us.

Reflections
Imagine what would happen if we treated ourselves as well as we treat our friends. For example, how would you respond to a friend with a challenging problem standing in the way?

How can you remember this compassionate and encouraging response for yourself?

In your life, what seemingly impossible barriers have been removed?

Download this Reflection in printable form. (PDF)

Discussion Board
Share your thoughts on today's Journey in the discussion board.

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