Have you ever wondered why God doesn’t fix our problems all at once? I have! God certainly could if He just would! But why doesn’t He? Why does it seem like, most times, we must fight tooth and nail over the long haul to get anywhere? As I read through the dos and don’ts of Exodus this morning in my Bible reading plan, the following verses stood out to me.
I will send my fear before thee, and will destroy all the people to whom thou shalt come, and I will make all thine enemies turn their backs unto thee. And I will send hornets before thee, which shall drive out the Hivite, the Canaanite, and the Hittite, from before thee. I will not drive them out from before thee in one year; lest the land become desolate, and the beast of the field multiply against thee. By little and little I will drive them out from before thee, until thou be increased, and inherit the land. (Exodus 23:27–30, KJV)
Not all at once, but a little at a time? So, is this deliberate on God’s part? Yes! Why? Simply put, the lack of adversity in our lives would create even more adversity. What is meant to be a blessing would become more of a problem. The land would have spoiled if the enemy had been driven out all at once.
How many times have we seen this play out in life? Someone comes into a lot of money all at once but is not ready for it. They end up spoiled by the blessing. We have no doubt seen this in children when an unwise parent gives them whatever they want when they want it. We are no different. So God’s approach is often little by little, not all at once. He allows many small victories over a long war.
Let’s rejoice that God, in great wisdom, allows us to struggle over time to spare us from trouble too great for us!
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