Out of Egypt

This last week we were talking about the different phases and stages of our lives.  In the book You're Already Amazing by Holley Gerth she likens them to the trip taken by the Israelites coming out of Egypt.  When they were in slavery trapped in Egypt is a parallel to when we are stuck in a rut, doing something that is not beneficial for us or just outright sinning.  The second phase was setting out.  This is when we make a change to remove ourselves from those issues or problems we are stuck on.  Third is being encamped.  This phase is a difficult one in a lot of ways.  It's when we stop moving towards our goals.  This pause can also happen for a lot of reasons.  We could need time to heal from hurts we have gotten on our journey, we may be to tired to continue and need some rest or it could be that the thing we are heading towards is not attainable yet for any number of reasons.  The final phase is the promised land.  We move into it when we have reached the goal of our journey.

The one part I found particularly interesting is how we can be in different places all at the same time.  For example, we could be in the promised land in our professional life but in Egypt relationship wise.  I think that for most of us is that we should be able to get to the promised land in every aspect of our lives, meaning we should be able to make everything perfect.  To me is was somewhat freeing to realize that it's okay if a few parts or our lifes are setting out, a few others are encamped and maybe a spot or two have reached the promised land.

However, in my experience you can never reach the promised land in ANY part of your life if we are in Egypt in any way.  Let me explain.  It is no secret I have spent some time in Egypt.  I have shared here my struggle with self esteem.  I was definitely stuck in a rut there!  There would be a few times when I would take a few steps out of the city but it always called me back home.  I started to feel like that was where I belonged and it was sort of pointless to even attempt to get to the promised land.   I mean, I wouldn't fit in there anyway.  Think of how beautiful those people would be.

Self esteem wasn't the only area I had stuck in Egypt though.  There was things I was doing that were harmful to my personal relationships and hurtful habits I was unwilling to give up.  I had set out or was encamped in the rest of my life but not one part was in the promised land.  Some were close mind you.  I was just outside the gate.   I had even hopped the fence a few times and taken a look around but I had never really lived there.  I hadn't built my home or settled down there to live.

I was getting frustrated.  I would work towards a goal, one that I knew was good but roadblock after roadblock would stop my path.  I couldn't understand why I had to keep camping out, why I had to keep waiting.  It wasn't until I gave up my areas of Egypt that I made real progress towards my goals.  

What I also found amazing was that things I would try to force to happen over and over of my own strength now just fell into place.  It seems that my encampment was like a time out to get the rest of my life straight.  I was trying to move to the promised land but my mail was all still postmarked Egypt.  I had to keep checking in there all the time and I wasn't willing yet to give that place up for good.  Sure the promised land might be beautiful and have every modern convenience but I was comfortable and settled in Egypt.  I wasn't able to get into the promised land enough to see how much better it was.  Nothing was REALLY working.  

Then I finally gave up my spot in Egypt.  That's not to say I jumped right to my goal.  I still slip up and visit there once in a while but I really set out.  I packed up my things, rented a moving van, filled it up with gas and put the new destination in the GPS.

The real difference this made was with other parts of my life, the parts that kept trying to break into the promised land, the ones that couldn't decide on the best route to take.  All of a sudden those parts fell into place.  Somehow everything started working right and I didn't even have to push hard to get them to go.  I fact the things I tried to force before that would never work happened then without much effort and I even had other people approach ME with solutions I hadn't even thought to look for yet.

There was an old adage shared in the book that said, "If you can't be an example, be a warning".  So let me be a warning to you.  If there is a part of your life you are holding onto that holds you back or even hurts you try and find a way to give it up or someone that can help you deal with it.  If you don't you will never be able to fully realize any of the goals you have.  You will end up a slave to Egypt instead of free to pursue the promised land.

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