IN THE DESERT

I've fallen on bad times. Where is God leading me?

Gods' Response
I will win her back once again. I will lead her into the desert and speak tenderly to her there. I will return her vineyards to her and transform the Valley of Trouble into a gateway of hope.
Hosea 2:14-15

Our Takeaway
Hosea 3-5 tells the story of the prophet and his wife, Goer, who was repeatedly unfaithful to him. But Hosea's experience is also the illustration of a much larger story: God's dealing with unfaithful Israel. In the verses above, God was promising (1) to bring the Israelites to the desert, a place free of distractions, so he could clearly communicate with them and (2) to change what had been a time of pain and difficulty into a day of hope. God sometimes uses negative experiences in our lives as "desert journeys" to turn our attention to Him alone.

As we face problems and trials, remember that God speaks tenderly to us in the "desert". Listen for Him, and have faith that through your desert journey, God will bring you to a gateway of hope.

God's Promise:
Be truly glad. There is wonderful joy ahead, even though you have to endure many trials for a little while.
1 Peter 1:16