To be Hedged About with Thorns

Therefore, behold I will hedge up thy way with thorns, and make a wall, that she shall not find her paths. Hosea 2: 6

I found myself in a season when there was trouble all around. Every area of my life was a battle and it had been long and arduous. I was standing and believing God but the battle seemed to go on and on and on. I was tired. I had been seeking the Lord continually in earnest but honestly, there came a point where I was tired – physically and mentally. I felt I was out of steam and quite frankly, there were times I just couldn’t trace God. So when those 3 and 4 am “wake up” calls came, I would just fall back to sleep. I was just tired. I was struggling to find joy and though I would have my times and moments pressing in to the Lord, it seemed that I couldn’t keep the momentum in the secret place. I would “compensate” by seeking the Lord and praying later in the morning once I was “wide awake” but I could not shake the feeling that I was “missing out” on something very valuable by choosing sleep. On top of that, I was struggling just maintain a fast – something that had in seasons past had not been so difficult. I felt like I was in a holding pattern, stuck, stagnant and I knew the only way out was in the Presence of God. The very thing that would break me through, I felt like I couldn’t access. And the battles didn’t let up.

Finally, one morning, I mustered up the will to just get up. I sat quiet for a few minutes and the Lord gave me Hosea 2:6. I had heard it before and had surely identified with it but Holy Spirit was bringing into clear view for me. See, as I looked around at the fact that every area of my life was undergoing some type of reconstruction, battle, challenge or attack – every area. The only thing keeping me was the Lord. As I studied and meditated on the Scripture, Holy Spirit helped me to see my troubles from a different perspective. He wasn’t being a cruel Father, He was allowing the adversity to draw me to Him and foster and grow a dependency on Him. The confidence I once had in my skills, titles, relationships, aspirations was all lying flat on the floor. Meanwhile, I’m asking God “what is going on?” and “how long God”. Weeks, months, years go by and it seems the demolition ball just keeps swinging and all I hear is “watch your head”. Sometimes I couldn’t trace Him but I was fully persuaded and convinced that He was True and that I was not alone.

Therefore, behold, I will allure her, and bring her into the wilderness, and speak comfortably to her. Hosea 2:14

I was truly in a wilderness and the Lord used it to draw me to Him. See when everything we look to for fulfilment starts to fail, we must see God’s Hand. His desire is that He be all that we need. He will give to us to enjoy relationships and success. But there comes a time when God seeks our undivided attention and He takes us at our word when we say we belong to Him. He is a jealous God and rightfully so – we are His beloved and He is right to expect the benefit of our devotion. He delights in us and He wants to give us good things. The Lord has a plan and purpose for our lives and if we want to know and experience it, we have to seek Him in earnest – diligently. There may be times in our lives when we draw back from God, we may get battle weary because the struggle is real. Between our flesh, the devil and other people, sometimes it’s all we can do to keep trouble at bay. But this is why we need the Presence of God daily. We must seek Him and seek Him early – that is not just first thing in the morning – that is early in our life’s journey, before we get settled into our own way, before we set out to make decisions, plan and map out our goals and aspirations – we must look to God. The attacks that come in just being a child of God are enough, much less what comes when you are seeking to align every area of Your life with the Will of God. This walk is not for the faint at all – but God is our defender and keeper. In all that, we become in the secret place with God. All of our challenges and struggles take on a different meaning when we realize that God uses them to refine us, to build our character and to establish us in holiness. When He put it that way, I had the strength to go on. I was clear that He was with me and He wouldn’t let me die off in the wilderness. Once the Lord brings His Word to bear, it just edifies. The Lord is impeccable in His timing because He knows when we need manna in the desert. So if you are facing a season where all seems to be closing in on you. Press your way to the secret place and allow God to speak comfortably to you. He may not change your circumstance right away but He will change you in the circumstance. It is the impact our troubles have on our ability to cope mentally and emotionally that makes us struggle in adversity. God wants to make us spiritually fit so that our faith is in Him and we are able to hold up under the weight of life’s trials knowing that we are strong in the power of His might. But we must avail ourselves of His Presence and we must put our troubles in perspective if we truly desire to finish the race. If He is hedging you about, your trials may be the “thorns” He is using to stop you from making a grave mistake and to preserve your destiny.

Scripture Study: Hosea 2:6, Hosea 2:14-23, Psalm 27:3-4