Matthew 22:14 "For many are called, but few are chosen."
Have you ever been through a "Wilderness Experience" like the Israelites? God will often allow some of His children to go through a "Wilderness Experience" to test their faith. He desires to see if they will continue to believe in Him and follow Him despite all that they are facing. He wants to see if their faith is real and if they are willing to trust Him despite their circumstances.
My husband and I have faced several "Wilderness Experiences" and I can tell you that they are not pleasant and are very challenging! The longer the difficulties linger the harder it becomes to persevere; however, I promise you this, though I don't want to experience those difficulties any time soon, they were some of the most beautiful times of growth we've ever had in our marriage and we grew closer to the Lord during those times more than any other time in our lives. We saw first hand how He provided for us every step of the way and cherished the peace that He gave us in the midst of all that was happening. We marveled at the answers to prayer that came forth as a result of our precious time spent with Him and how He faithfully guided and directed our decision making at every turn. Our pastor's family has experienced even greater trials at the hand of God than we have. Their son was traumatically injured in a football game and they persevere daily dealing with what all that entails.
Just like a professional sports team has try-outs to see who is going to be good enough to make the team - God will orchestrate to have some of His children tested to establish whether they will have enough faith, patience, courage, and trust in Him to persevere through the trial. The Bible tells us that "many are called but few are chosen" (Matthew 22:14) which is not a reference to salvation per se but is referring to those individuals that God has put a special call on their life for a very specific purpose.
It is very easy to have faith when everything in your life is going well but when God starts to strip away things in your life one by one and your only recourse is to trust Him, that is where the rubber meets the road. It is at that point that things get real and we're faced with trusting and continuing on or running out into the night because the going is getting too tough? Those who bail do not prevail and end up missing out on some of the greatest blessings that God had in store for them.
Stay the course, my friend, push on and let God complete whatever He has in store for you. You will be rewarded, possibly above and beyond anything that you could ever dream or imagine if you'll just hang on. God is on your side! Are you on His?
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Personalize this prayer.
Dear Lord,
I want to be called a man or woman after Your own heart. I'd like to think that if You called me to something that I'd stick it out and persevere but honestly I know that I'm not capable of doing anything apart from You. Life is overwhelming. If Your plan for me is to experience You in a deeper way through tribulation then I ask that You enable me to stay the course because on my own there is absolutely no way that I could pass the test. I'm weak and heavy ladened but I'm willing to stand on Your promises until the cows come home because I know that if You bring me to it, You will bring me through it. I long to draw closer to You and be used by You however You desire. Create in me a pure, undivided heart that is willing to sacrifice on behalf of the Kingdom. May Your will be done in me.
In Jesus Name,
Amen
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