I’m Not in Kansas Anymore

I was reading about the Israelites being “stuck” in the desert and how they were grumbling and complaining about how they desired to go back to Egypt. Even though they were slaves they thought they would be better off, and they wanted to go back to what they knew and to what was comfortable. When I was reading that, the famous line from the Wizard of Oz popped in my head, “Toto, I have a feeling we’re not in Kansas anymore.” The Israelites were not in Kansas anymore, they were far away from the old life they knew. I know it sounds silly to compare the Wizard of Oz with the Israelites, but I like to think that God has a sense of humor.

The Wizard of Oz is so relatable to my life right now. My Kansas was the life I used to know, and I don’t want to go back to Kansas. I want to go to a whole new place as uncomfortable as it may feel, I know that is where God wants me to be. Kansas was comfortable and so familiar. Sometimes I yearn to go back because this in-between place is so hard, and moving forward from this will be just as hard.

Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage,

do not be afraid, do not be dismayed,

for the Lord, your God is with you wherever you go.

Joshua 1:9

When God is moving things around in your life, how do you make the transition? How do you leave the old life behind and move forward? It has been a learning process for me. At the beginning of this journey, God gave me Psalm 46:10. “Be still and know that I am God.”  “Be still” is to STOP! Stop moving. Stop arguing. Stop complaining. The key is to learn to be content with just enough for just a little while. “To know” is to have faith, faith that he is carrying you through this unfamiliar place.  He is providing, guiding, and leading, and knowing that He will never leave you or forsake you. “I am God” is to answer the question, who is God? God is in control. He is love. He is my hope, and He is my rock and my fortress. He is my shepherd, my Father, and He will lead, nourish, protect and restore.

you don’t have to know how, when you know who! ~ Steven Furtick

God has us go through these unfamiliar, uncomfortable places at different times in our lives because He is getting us prepared for something better. There is something grand at the end of the journey. At times, it can feel like you are wasting time or like you should be doing something else, but God wants us to sit still and know that He is God. There is just enough in this unfamiliar place and it will be for just a little while. We must have confidence in God and trust in His provision before He can move us forward. My sister told me once that she sometimes feels like we are the pieces on a checkerboard and God is moving us around. He is trying to get us to the other side of the checkerboard, but God is building our character on the way. We must trust His process.

Loving ourselves through the process of owning our story is the bravest thing we’ll ever do. ~Brene Brown

It has been 3 months since this part of my journey began. Three months since the plans I had for my life did not pan out. It would have been easy for me to blame God, give up on God, stop praying, stop going to church and stop reading His word. Even though I wasn’t going to church at the time I was still a believer and I could have let this turn me even further away from God, but I knew I had to go back home. God left me no other options, but to learn to trust Him more and depend on Him for every need. I’m so thankful I’m not in Kansas anymore and I don’t want to go back there. I want to move forward from here with the plans that God has for me.