Sets of 40

Forty years seems like a long time, and it is! When Moses led the Israelites out of Egypt and into the wilderness for forty years. I often wonder how he was able to endure four decades of national homelessness, hardship, and constant whining and complaining from the people God trusted him to lead. After a few weeks, I think I would have stamped a big fat "return to sender" on their foreheads and headed south.

That seems to be a theme in Moses' life. After being rescued by Pharaoh's daughter as a baby, it wasn't until he was 40 years old that he even went to visit his biological relatives to check in. And when he did, he got into a scuffle, killed a man, freaked the people out, got rejected, and fled for another forty years in a foreign land. Then, after a trippy burning bush episode, he went back to lead the Israelites into the wilderness for forty years. Forty, Forty, Forty. It seems like Moses' entire life was segments of decades just waiting for the milk and honey, but never quite getting there.

"I have heard their groans and have come down to rescue them. Now go, for I am sending you back to Egypt. 'So God sent back the same man his people had previously rejected..." (Acts 7:34-35)

Life can feel that way sometimes. Just when we think we have made it to a peak, we discover it's just another false front. We don't want to keep grinding it out day after day, hoping the promised land is right around the next bend; we want to be there now. Unfortunately, that's not how it works. We have to allow the process to take place. What we learn and how we grow in the process will largely determine how we handle things when we get there.

Hitting it big in business, finding the right spouse, losing weight, assembling a great team, saving money, and making it to whatever summit you are climbing all require a hard-fought, long-term process where you will endure groans, rejection, setbacks, and feeling alone. But take courage, God sees and hears all of it and will send His helpers to guide you and give you what you need to endure. Just keep grinding, and just keep climbing. When someone shows up to help, accept it, as they just may be the person God is using to bring you along.

 We don't control the timing of the result, just our effort during the process. 

Through faithful endurance, Moses did finally lead his people into the promised land, but they needed the process to prepare them to take it. If you think it's taking too long, consider that Moses needed three different seasons of forty years to accomplish his mission. Just keep grinding, keep climbing, and let the process work. God's promises never fail when His people never quit.