The story of Lot, in the Old Testament, is not one we might readily link with 'moving house'. But I recently found some links that challenged me as we moved house….
Lot, Abraham's nephew, when given a choice, chose where to live because it appealed as an attractive 'nice' place to live, but it ended up not being a 'good' place. And it was a place that God eventually called him out of. His wife was more reluctant to leave than he was and her love for the place and her grief over what she was leaving behind so consumed her that she went against God's instruction and 'looked back' and was instantly turned to a pillar of salt.
Now, I'm not trying to equate every part of our journey with Lot and his wife, (not least because of how clear it was that God had led us to the house in the bush on the hill). But there are some areas of parallel and thus I felt was God's timely warning to me too. - so come with me on a 'message to self' of reminders we all need.
1. A nice place is not necessarily the right place.
Just because a place has loads of positive aspects and at one stage was where God wanted us, doesn't mean it is still the place God wants us, or knows is best for us. A comfortable place can be the wrong place. It might have grown to become an unhealthy or ungodly or unwise place. Or it might simply be that God wants me…or you…somewhere else.
2. When God says 'go', its time to 'go'.
Lot was ready to obey, despite the losses and difficulties there would have been with sudden departure, but his wife was not so willing. Now, before I get too judgemental on Lot's wife, I can identify with her temptations to want to stay behind. Firstly in that I also find it difficult to make sudden decisions especially a switch in focus or something that has taken me by sudden surprise. Maybe that is more a 'woman' thing where we are more emotionally rather than factually connected to the aspects of our lives, more than the guys. It's not so easy for us to suddenly detach ourselves from where we have put down emotional roots and it can be a painful process. Sometimes it's emotionally not as easy as just pressing a button to switch to a new 'box' of life, and on the list of 'stressors' of life there are reasons a house-move is apparently up there just a little under the stress levels of the death of a spouse or divorce.
But when God says 'go' we have to be willing to 'go'.We must hold God's gifts in an open hand for him to give and take as he sees is best. I can come to love the gift more than the Giver and try to hang onto the gifts with a closed fist. And sometimes even when we think we hold it with an open hand, God sends along a new challenge to test our love for him.
Some years ago when we were robbed and assaulted the challenge was there that 'things' are to be held loosely. Then last year when there was a bushfire on the hill where we lived and we had to grab a few things in case the house burnt down, I was again challenged to hold my hand open. Both times somehow it was easier to hold it open. But again, the challenge came to let go and trust God, and this time has definitely been harder.
3. Don't look back or long for what God gave, more than longing for God himself.
After we 'moved' across to our 'new' house, there were still some things needing to be tidied up at the old house before handover date and my husband asked if I wanted to go back for a one last enjoyment of the lovely spot in the bush with fresh air, quietness, views, loads of trees, great house layout etc etc. I was momentarily attracted to the idea…but the more I thought about it, the more I realised it would only feed a hankering back to what was.
Then I was reminded of the story of Lot's wife, who looked back in longing for what was left behind. To long for what God says is over, is not only unhelpful in the 'moving on' process, but it might be idolatry - a heart desire for something that is not God himself. Our hearts can all too easily long for the comfortable more than we eagerly embrace and get enthusiastic about God's will. I am reminded how easily my heart can be foolishly drawn to my temporary human view of what is pleasant, and reluctant to be enthusiastic about God's will.
4. If a comfortable place is not God's place then its a bad place.
I have to remind myself that no matter how 'nice' a place might feel, if it is not what God wants it is actually bad for me in more ways than I can even begin to recognise. Going God's way is our 'safe-guard'. And in a world that is obsessed with wanting everything 'safe' on this earth from a human experience and 'comfort' perspective, it is easy to get sucked into thinking that what feels safe is safe. If we aren't where God wants us, its the most unsafe place to be…not just because of temporal comfort, but because God knows the future and we don't, and God's future includes eternity not just the 'now' of this sinful earth.
5. A place can feel wrong and be right
In this house move, the house we moved to has 'felt' the least right of any of our house moves. Not only did the circumstances (out of our control) requiring the move seem 'totally unnecessary' as one friend put it, but the house we ended up going to initially 'felt' unsuitable on multiple levels. On a couple of critical levels though it met the criteria and there are many aspects of the house we liked, but in other ways it just didn't 'feel' right.
But God continuously closed every other door that looked a possibility and left us with only one place. In the end there didn't seem a choice….we 'had' to move and there was only 'one' place to move to! But God was clearly at work and the longer we are here in the new place the more we find aspects that we like and are a blessing. It is at times like these, that the story of Joseph is such an encouragment - I'm sure his betrayal by his brothers and sending him off to Egypt all against his will to a strange place didn't 'feel' anything like 'right'. But as he said later down the track, what his brothers 'planned for evil, God planned for good'.
6. Although God can use situations to help us make decision, what we see now must never be our ultimate guidepost.
Sometimes we can think difficulty must mean we are out of God's will or lack of blessing, or alternatively some have said to us that difficulty is a sign you are on the right road as doing what is right is never easy. However, suffering, difficulty or trial are not necessarily the 'sign' of something being God's will or not, but are the realities we must accept, learn from and grow through, rather than being controlled or overwhelmed by them.
Difficulty may be part of God's discipline and refining but also might be part of the Evil one's attempts to discourage, distract and de-rail. But either way, how we respond to them and respond to people around us in the midst of them, is key. The challenge is to seek what God is saying, what he wants to teach us, and respond accordingly in repentance, trust, courage and rest as is required, counting it all joy (James 1:2), knowing that God is bigger than us, the circumstances or the Devil, and really is working all things together for good for those who love him and are called according to his purposes (Romans 8:28).
7. There is always something more God has for us to learn about what it means to truly honour him.
Our life is a journey of learning and God has many lessons he wants to teach us as he grows us in godliness….so that as we grow from one degree of glory to another, we can be more effective vessels through which his light can shine…and even a house-move is part of that journey!
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