Trusting God on the Long Road to Our Promised Land

With a Subtitle: What the Israelites' wilderness journey taught me about faith, trust, and waiting on God.

A brief Excerpt: Like the Israelites delivered from Egypt, I stepped into a new life—only to find the journey had just begun. Through my husband's stroke, deep loss, and long waiting, I'm learning to trust God when the road makes no sense.

The Author is: Rina Schultz

What I Have in Common with the Israelites

I never realized how much I have in common with the Israelites until I read the book of Exodus again.

Delivered from difficult circumstances? Check. Started on my journey to my “promised land”? Check. Surprised by how long it took? Check. Facing problems, troubles, and tribulation along the way? Check. Rebelled against God, murmured, and complained? Check. Experienced God’s guidance, presence, and faithfulness. Check.

I felt such relief and excitement when God suddenly opened doors and made a way for me through my personal Red Sea. I couldn’t see a way. The only thing I knew to do was to pray, to wait, and to praise God for His goodness while I waited. Then, the day of a sudden breakthrough arrived. We were delivered from our circumstances, and we started on our journey to what we believed would be a new life and a new beginning. Little did we know what awaited us.

Preparing for Our Exodus in the Middle of Lockdown

A few months prior to our exodus, my husband and I sensed that we should pack and prepare to move. We had no idea where we would go, and we didn’t know how we would get there. This was just before and during the COVID-19 lockdown. The lockdown left us impoverished. My husband lost his business, and I had to close my private practice. We were caught in a situation where we had no job, income, or any prospects. All we could do was to look to God and trust Him in the process.

Praying Specifically and Trusting God for the Details

We prayed specifically. We told God that we were willing to give up our home, familiar environment, and everything we had. We had a little dog that ended up with us after she had suffered terrible abuse. Our vet told us that she displayed signs of PTSD. We believed that God entrusted us with her care, so we confidently asked God to make a way for us where she could accompany us.

My husband and I did not see ourselves maintaining a big yard. We asked for a home with modest yard, just large enough to accommodate our puppy’s needs. We were tired of a busy city life and asked God whether we could move to a small, rural town.

How God Answered Our Prayers Exactly

God answered our prayers exactly. We relocated to a little town in a beautiful area of our country. This town did not feature in our discussions when we talked about moving. We couldn’t have picked a better, more tranquil, or beautiful spot on the map. I confess that I felt a little disappointed when I saw that the town had a mall, although it’s not a mall in the strictest sense of the word. It’s more like a dozen or so shops clustered around a common parking area. It’s convenient without being too busy or overwhelming. In fact, I had to learn to adapt to a new way of living without many commodities I had been used to, as our little town has never heard of these things, let alone stock or sell them. For instance, our dog eats only a certain type of dog food. Nobody here has ever heard of it. Fortunately, I can order it online and have it delivered to my address. Other things I have simply learned to live without.

Adjusting to a New Life and a New Land

We were pleasantly surprised by our new environment and our new life. Of course there were the inevitable teething problems of adjusting to new surroundings. My husband discovered allergies he never knew he had. We had problems with the electricity and went without running water for days. We adapted. We were excited, and we felt spoiled. It was as if God had opened a door to Heaven for us here on Earth. We were looking forward to building a new life and a new future together. Little did we know what awaited us.

When the Promised Land Is Only the Beginning

We thought we had arrived in our promised land after a few difficult and uncomfortable hours on the road. We were in for a surprise. Our journey didn’t end here; it had only begun.

Walking Through My Husband’s Stroke

My husband struggled with his health right from the get-go. He went from bad to worse. The allergies that plagued him made way for swollen and painful legs that ultimately culminated in a stroke almost three years ago. We didn’t expect this. It didn’t feature in the dreams and hopes we had. It soon became clear that God knew it would happen, and He provided our needs way ahead of time.

The house we are living in has everything my husband needs to help him move about. It took a while for him to become mobile again. It just so happened that an occupational therapist lived on a farm nearby. She offered her services to help my husband sit up again, stand up, and eventually walk with the help of a tripod cane again. Recently, someone from church blessed my husband by paying for treatment by a chiropractor. My husband’s posture wasn’t straight, and it caused him severe pain. He’s still undergoing treatment, but his posture has improved. He finds walking easier now. He still has pain, but we believe that God will heal him and relieve him of the pain. We are hoping that he will regain the use of his right hand and sensation on his right side again. We are praying that God will restore his speech too.

What the Long Journey Has Taught Me About Trust

He has come a long way since the stroke. We have come a long way since we arrived here. Looking back on our journey made me realize that, like the Israelites, our journey took much longer than anticipated. We are still on it. God had to iron out a few things in us. I had to learn to trust God, especially when I couldn’t make sense of the situation. I had to learn to be patient and to trust God with my problems. It amazes me how easily God deals with the problems, but it takes time. The difficulty is not in how God works, but in waiting for Him to accomplish what He wants in us and for us.

Holding On to Hope Through Grief and Loss

This year marks three years since the stroke. I’m hopeful that we will experience miracles this year. The year didn’t start off well for us with my brother’s passing and the death of our daughter. Life hit hard these last few years. I trust that God still has a wonderful plan and purpose for us even as we live with heartache and pain.

Our True Promised Land Is with Our Heavenly Father

I am hoping that unlike the Israelites, it won’t take forty years for us to reach our promised land. Hopefully, we will learn our lessons quickly, adapt, adjust, and grow in faith and trust. Ultimately, our home is not here on earth but with our Heavenly Father.

How is your journey going?