GRADUAL RESTORATION
The fountains of the deep and the windows of the heavens were closed, the rain from the heavens was restrained, and the waters receded from the earth continually. At the end of 150 days the waters had abated. Genesis 8:2-3
Waters didn’t cover the earth in a day nor did God cause them to recede in a day. God sent a wind, the wind of His Spirit, to blow over the earth. The same breath that had been active in creation was now active in re-creation.
As anxious as Noah and his family were to place their feet on dry ground, the preparation of a new life took place gradually and at a pace much slower than they would have chosen.
I once recall meeting the husband of a woman who had been ritually abused throughout her childhood. Her emotional and psychological damage was profound. He loved her, ached for her healing, and believed that God would completely rid her (one day at their church altar) of all her painful memories and the scars that accompanied them. He lived for the day when she would go forward, kneel, and arise strong and free. She would no longer be able to recollect her painful childhood. I voiced to him my concern over, what I believe, were false hopes. I urged him to remember that God heals but He does so gradually.
Times of captivity never happen overnight. A series of choices precede the wilderness. If God just healed the past in one fell swoop, I would not have the opportunity to learn wisdom. Dismantling the cage, one bar at a time, has great benefits. In the disassembly, God gives wisdom about each piece. He delights to see me discover the truths He knows will bring freedom.
Are you straining under the hand of God’s sovereignty? Are you longing for a new morning, one where yesterday’s agony just disappears? Adjust your expectations. Know that God heals incrementally. He sends the wind of His Spirit. It blows across the soul and brings divine insight. Over time, re-creation occurs and a solid mental and emotional framework is built to stand the test of time. The new spiritual landscape will appear as Noah’s new earth; a fruitful place to live on the treasures God gave in the darkness.
Captivity would be worthless if I never learned anything. Thank you for leading me out of my wilderness one revelation at a time. Amen.
For more from Christine Wyrtzen and Jaime Wyrtzen Lauze, please visit www.daughtersofpromise.org
For more from Christine Wyrtzen and Jaime Wyrtzen Lauze, please visit www.daughtersofpromise.org
Originally published Thursday, 02 April 2020.
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