Journey (OneWord365 March check in)

We've been studying through Exodus in my Sunday School class. One theme keeps coming back - or rather one theme keeps sticking it's nose into the forefront of my thoughts. That is that God, when delivering the nation of Israel out of Egypt, he protected them - kept them from experiencing anything too strong with battles of other nations, until they were prepared. Until they'd changed their mindset. They had been slaves for 430 years, and they had no other way of thinking. For generations they had been slaves. When they first left, they didn't know how else to behave. And when things go hard, they actually had the thought - maybe we'd be better off back in Egypt.

As that sank in - that they'd consider going back to being slaves because it was familiar, that even though it was hard, it was something known and safe - it made me sad. How terrible to be willing to miss the wonderful place the Lord had prepared in the promised land, because it would be a tough journey. Because it was unknown. Because their faith wasn't strong enough to trust that the Lord KNEW the end destination was better than they could even imagine.

And then I thought about where I am in one particular piece of my journey. I've got some tough decisions ahead - and they're very close. At least they *should* be. But instead of running ahead - instead of resting in the knowledge that God has orchestrated this change - that He has given me a path to follow - I am turning around and running back to Egypt! WHAT?! Even as I sit and write this, I see it. I see the reluctance to move on. I'm in a safe place. It's comfortable. It has been good. It has served its purpose. But I feel the calling - the need to move forward. Frankly, I am scared. The next step on this particular leg of the journey is going to take some work. A lot of prayer. And some searching. That's hard.

Sometimes I don't do hard well. Especially if there is an easy out. But running back isn't going to make it any easier to get where I need to be. Where God wants me to be. As I think back to the sadness I've felt as we've studied the journey out of Egypt, it has hit home. I need to get myself in gear, follow the path the Lord has laid before me, and not look back. I need to stop longing for my comfort zone. I need to stop treading water and waiting for a wave I can ride to the next shore. I need to start swimming forward. Though I can't see the actual destination, that doesn't mean that I can tell the journey to time out. Get on the path, one foot in front of the other, and keep going.

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It's the third Tuesday of the month (well, actually it's sometime after the 3rd and before the 4th Tuesday...) and time to link up with Amy and update about my OneWord365 for the year. I am really glad for this accountability string. The reminder to post as I go, and not try to recall it all in December.