THE DESERT

THE DESERT.

What do you think about when you hear, read or say the word DESERT.

• No life
• Barren
• Dusty
• Hot
• Endless
• Uncertainty 

I think about an unquenchable thirst....no satisfaction.

The thing about THE DESERT is that even though you know what it is you walking through, you also know it is hot and seems to go on forever.  Sometimes, you feel, there is no relief in sight.

I found myself in a desert last year.

I knew what was in front of me, but I had to walk it out.  

What, truely, did I believe?

"Day and night I have only tears for food, while my enemies continually taunt me, saying, WHERE IS THIS GOD OF YOURS? 

My heart is breaking as I remember how it use to be: I walked among the crowds of worshippers, leading a great procession to the house of God, singing for joy and giving thanks amid the sound of a great celebration!

Why am I so discouraged?  Who's is my heart so sad?  I will put my hope in God!  I will praise Him again - my Savior and my God!"  Psamls 42: 3-5 [NLT]

I felt like David here in Psalms 42.  I was going through it.  

I knew what the Word said about my situation.

I knew what I believed....but I had to LIVE it out....DAILY!

I was challenged, as you will be, while walking through THE DESERT.

I saw others have a form of cancer like I had, but they didn't make it.  Would I make it?  

My "enemies" from v.3 above where my thoughts.  Would I let this DESERT experience define me...define what my future would be?

Sometimes, God expects us to "speak to the storms" we are dealing with [Mark 4:39.  Other times, we have to realize that we are going to get "wet" from the storm [Matthew 7:24-27], but the "storm" will not dominate us.

Through it all, our BEST YEAR YET is determined by not the joys or struggles, but by how we respond to each of these.  

Tomorrow, we'll look at the next place we find ourselves going through during our BEST YEAR YET.....THE VALLEY!