Many of God’s people are in what they consider a desert right now.
They see this desert through the eyes of despair and are struggling through it.
Others are experiencing overflow, an oasis in a parched land. They see themselves as blessed.
Yet the Lord is with the one in the desert just as much as the one wading in the oasis. Both situations are dependent on one critical truth in their situations: “Knowing that it is the Lord standing with them in both the desert and the oasis.”
The two might seem to contradict one another, but in reality both light and darkness are the same to God. How? Well, our Father focuses on the posture of our heart in both circumstances, and He meets us there.
In this sense, darkness and light or desert and oasis are the same to Him. He understands that it is not our circumstances that dictates who we are before Him. Rather, it is who we are when we are going through our days and nights. (Check out the article, Safe Passage Is Before)
Trouble Does Not Last Always
Life has a way of reminding us that our circumstances are temporal at best.
Someone can seem to be in the abundance of light by way of outward blessings, yet they are standing in the greatest challenge of their lives. Someone standing in the desert, seeming to lack all the conveniences outwardly could also stand in place of perfect inner peace.
Whether its the desert or the wilderness, we are expected to connect inwardly with the lifeforce of the Spirit to access abundant life.
Both teach us that “this abundance” should never rest on the circumstances and situations we see, but the truth of the Spirit we confirm in our faith.
Some of the greatest lessons we can learn in life is understanding that the deserts of life are NO INDICATORS of God’s absence from us. It is also NO GUARANTEE that God is with us. What matters is that understand how the desert and the oasis can show forth His Glory. (Check out the article, Help Is Near)
Choosing To Learn
I pray we choose to learn “God lessons” from the desert and the oasis.
In the desert may we endure unimaginable hardship. Yet, it is also here that we can grow in strength and power. May we find a drink wherever we can, holding on as tightly as possible to hope, love and Holy Spirit’s comfort. Vigilance, endurance and perseverance rests here.
I’ve learned that in the oasis we must be mindful and diligent in cultivating humility and gratitude. Without it, we can find ourselves in one of the darkest hours of our lives clothed in self-sufficiency not rooted in Christ, haughtiness and pride.
Both circumstances requires soberness of mind and determination to keep our eyes on Christ. This is why we have the wonderful examples of this truth throughout the Bible. It is imperative that we ourselves as children of the Lord’s LIGHT in ever circumstance.
We must believe that light and darkness are the same to God! May we know and honor the truth in this. (Check out this PDF, 365 Promises of God)
Ecclesiastes 3:1, “There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens…”
