Suddenly

Suddenly

I am doing something brand new, something unheard of. Even now, it sprouts and grows and matures. Don’t you perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness, and open up flowing streams in the desert. Isaiah 43:19 TPT

You have made a choice to lean into all that the journey has for you, not being able to see too far down the road. You are taking your baby steps, and your faith is building. You have hope again in the process. You are doing the things that you know you should be doing, all the while full of anticipation for what is next. What does the next step look like? You have heard people talk about suddenly’s mostly when it comes to a relationship with someone. You wonder what a suddenly feels like. The only thing you can think of is, being a child going on a long road trip with your family doing what I am sure every other child does. You wait about 30 seconds out of the driveway to ask if we are there yet. Your parents respond with a no and explain it will be a while before you arrive. As a child, you don’t have a full concept of time, you are full of anticipation for the arrival. You take a few naps, play games in the car, and then suddenly you have arrived. 

In our journey with God, we have that same anticipation with every step we take with God. He is in the driver's seat, and we are looking for signs that we are getting close to a destination. Your journey began with a simple yes to a question like, “Lisa will you partner with me to move to Seattle,” and because you have learned that a yes to God is better the first time He asks you to say yes. But he doesn’t give you a clear roadmap with all the twist and turns laid out for you so you can prepare for them.

In Isaiah, he said he was doing something BRAND NEW! He didn’t give you all the details, he asked if we could perceive it. Perceive means to observe, to know to understand. The truth is you know God is doing something new because he just asked you to obey. But past that, you really aren’t sure what the next steps are. So you pray, and you continue to do the last thing he told you to do, all the while preparing for the new. Then the suddenly comes in the form of an email about a potential job. The next thing you know, you have accepted a job offer and are moving in four weeks. 

A year ago, you had said yes to God and a journey, and now you are off to somewhere new. A suddenly is a beautiful part of the transition process, it brings you to the wilderness where it is just you and God. Now I am sure you are saying what do you mean wilderness. Don’t forget in Isaiah he said he was going to make a way in the wilderness, that he would open up flowing streams in the desert. How is it that your promised land can feel like a desert? Well, I believe it is because suddenly, it only gets us to the wilderness. When we do the thing God is asking of us, we will find ourselves in the midst of the desert. But don’t worry, it is a beautiful place to be. It’s the part of the journey where you get lay down who you thought you were. In the wilderness, there will be new streams that he will open up so you can discover all that God is calling you to be in this next leg of the journey. They will prepare you for when He asks you to do the next thing. 

You see, I thought when I suddenly came, that I had arrived, when I stepped off the plane I thought there would be a red carpet. The reality was that I had just entered my wilderness. A wild, where I get to discover myself all over again with the lover of my soul, my best friend, Jesus. You see, the suddenly causes you to find yourself in a bit of disbelief as is this really happening. Is God doing this for me? Yes, he is. But wait, I thought this was when it got easy. It does get easy; it just won’t feel that way in the beginning.  See the suddenly was just the entry point to something new. 

Who is this one? Look at her now! She arises out of her desert, clinging to her beloved. Song of Solomon 8:5a

So today, take some time to spend with Jesus, be still, and reflect. Write down what he is saying to you.