The verse said Jesus was "led by the Spirit into the wilderness". It didn't say He was "pushed by the Spirit". It didn't say He was "drug by the Spirit". He was "led". Being led by something or someone means that it is out in front of you and you are following. Jesus followed the Spirit and wound up in the wilderness.
Often, we get confused and anxious when we are following the leading of the Lord and we wind up in the wilderness, in a place of temptation, difficulty, hardship, heartache and pain. Immediately we want to think that we must have "missed" God. We must have done something wrong. We must have assumed it was God when it wasn't. We must have imagined it was God. We must have been walking in the flesh. We must not have really been following Him. Why? Because we reason that if we had truly been following the leading of the Spirit we would not be in this place. We think that when we follow the Spirit He is always going to lead us into perfect, peaceful places of bliss. Not always so.
The Spirit led Jesus into the wilderness to be tested. Jesus told His disciples to get into the boat which put them in the middle of a storm. Why would He lead us into those kind of places? There are many reasons why-- far to many to talk about here. But His ways are not our ways and His thoughts are not our thoughts-- they are so much higher and in His wisdom He understands it completely and has a plan for you though it.
So, don't let the enemy tell you the lie that you weren't following the Lord. Don't let Him tell you that this would not have happened if you had been. Don't let him condemn you and make you think that you missed God's leading. Don't get perplexed if His leading takes you into a difficult place.
The most important part of following is not about the place you are being taken, but about the One you are following. It is not about the destination, it is about trust in the One who is leading.
Have a great day. If you are following the Lord and you wind up in a "wilderness", don't misjudge yourself thinking that you must not have been following-- He does lead us into hard places.
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Coffee Break is a morning devotional written by Lorraine Ezell
and is sent to you free of charge for the asking from
About the Master's Business Ministry, Inc.
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