Journey to Freedom - Part Two
Introduction
In Part 1 of this series, we looked at how the first part of the Exodus story reflects 3 areas of the journey to freedom from addiction - God gives a promise, God calls an imperfect person, and there is a battle against opposition. Unfortunately, escaping from slavery was only the first part of the journey, and there is still much more to come that we can learn from when reflecting on the journey of recovery.
A Moment of Victory
Finally, God makes a way for His people to escape Egypt, by sending the plague of death upon the households of the Egyptians Exodus 12:29-33. Through this, God began to show His power in victory. Not only does God provide the Israelites protection from the plague, but following this, God leads his people out to the Red Sea, which God parts, allowing them to cross on dry ground Exodus 14. Although Pharaoh sent his army to pursue and kill them, once the Israelites have crossed, the parted sea is released and the army is destroyed. This is another powerful moment where God moves in a way that only He can! He works a miracle, bringing His people out of their captivity and closing the path that leads back to it, destroying the enemy that pursues them.
This is such an encouragement! These are the big moments when God breaks through miraculously, and in part, the way back to how things were before has been blocked. In recovery, this could be the moment that people find saving faith in Jesus, successfully detox, or address a big area of emotional trauma that God brings healing to. These are the standout breakthroughs and significant changes that mark a clear moment of victory in their journey, and these are to be celebrated!
However, the story doesn’t end here.
As great as these victories are, God’s people still had a lot of their journey ahead, and there were still great challenges to face. And the same is true in the recovery journey.
Temptations in the Wilderness
1. Looking Back in Longing
Once they had experienced the miraculous saving power of God in their escape, it didn’t take long for the Israelites to forget His goodness, and even long to be back in the place of slavery. When Moses had led them into the wilderness, en route to the Promised Land, the Israelites became hungry and complained that they’d rather live as slaves than wander without good food or water and die in the wilderness Exodus 16:2-3.
Despite knowing the awful things they had endured in Egypt when faced with the challenge of the journey ahead, they chose to give up the freedom God had given them, for the perceived “comfort” left behind. This is something that often happens in recovery. It feels easy to return to a well-worn path and our default ways of coping when things are difficult. So, when God takes us out of that place, to a situation or circumstance that’s unfamiliar and somewhere we aren’t in control, we can long for the familiarity of addiction. Addiction is often used to mask pain, so once there’s been an experience of a breakthrough like completing detox, what’s left is to face the pain that we’ve been hiding from. Feeling unprepared, desperate, and unable to face it, returning to the slavery of addiction seems like the easier choice.
But, being freed from slavery wasn’t all that God promised. His plan for the Israelites hadn’t been fully completed, and there was still a journey ahead. When they cried out to Him, God once again miraculously provided what they needed – just enough food and water for each day Exodus 16:4-17:7.
God doesn’t just perform one miracle and leave it that. God’s power works in every stage of the journey to freedom.
If we trust in Him to bring us breakthroughs of freedom like at the beginning, we can trust Him to sustain us on the remainder of the journey.
2. Misdirected Worship
A second example of how they rejected God along their journey was when Moses left the Israelites and traveled up Mount Sinai to speak to God, and the Israelites made and worshipped a golden calf that they had made Exodus 32:1-24. Without clear spiritual direction, the default was for them to create an idol to worship, in place of God.
Even after seeing all that God had done, without spiritual guidance, God’s people turned their worship to something else. This part of the journey wasn’t easy and in these times of weakness and vulnerability, there is a desperation to cling to something. Something man-made, that requires no faith, no vulnerable openness, or a real relationship, seems like such an easy default when things get hard. But once again, this is a trap of temptation, that offers nothing when God himself offers us everything we need. Spiritual growth, found by being rooted in community and discipleship, is a crucial part of the journey to freedom and God calls his church to be in community together to build each other up and encourage one another. We were never meant to do this on our own, and we can be thankful for those who God puts around us to lead and guide us spiritually.
God placed Moses to be a leader, one who knows God deeply, to lead and guide His people, but without him, they gave into temptation. While we should never depend on our leaders to keep us going, we need to recognise the importance of being connected to others, especially when things get tough and we face temptation, who can encourage us to keep our gaze fixed on God. Without others to keep us on track spiritually, our focus can turn to plenty of other things to give our time, attention, and adoration - whether that’s turning back to our addiction, or finding something else other than God to fill that void (relationships, social media, food, or anything else!)
3. Falling to Fear
The third example we see in the Israelite’s journey is when they come to the borders of the promised land – and are faced with the news that it is filled with enemies that seem too powerful to overcome Numbers 13:25-33.
Despite knowing God’s strength, despite seeing a glimpse of the wonderful promise that God has set before them, when they see that there is still a battle ahead before they can enter the land and receive God’s ultimate blessing, they refuse to go ahead for fear that they would be defeated Numbers 14:1-4.
Once again, this is a challenge that we find in the journey to freedom. Despite having an initial victory or breakthrough, there are other battles to be faced ahead, some that seem unwinnable. But, it is only through facing each battle, each challenge set before us, that we can find full freedom and the blessing God has set before us. What the Israelites forgot, and what Joshua tried to remind them, is that they are not facing this battle on their own. It is still the same God, the same one who rescued them, the same one who has provided for them, who has chosen them, that is leading them into this battle. It is through trusting and believing the truth of who God is and His promises to us, that we can face the challenge ahead.
Even when we know what God has said, it’s so easy to let fear stop us from moving forward. But the consequences that the Israelities faced because they chose to act in fear was that they never received the full freedom God had planned for them.
It is faith, not fear, that must drive our actions.
When facing these upcoming battles this fear is very real, because, in our own strength, some things truly seem impossible. It can be scary to push through the difficult areas of recovery – but it is what we do with that fear that is important. This fear can come through a variety of things, like addressing some of the deep-rooted issues and emotional pain that often fuels addiction. But it is faith, not fear, that must drive our actions. This is not blind faith, but faith in what we already have seen God do!
Questions to Reflect
Are there any big moments you’ve seen God break through powerfully, that you thank God for and call to mind in difficult times?
Do you notice a link between facing temptation and your engagement with church, Christian or a recovery community?
Do you find fear, or other difficult emotions, prevent you from going deeper with God or further in your recovery?
A Prayer of Encouragement
Dear God,
I know that you are a God of victory! Thank you for all that you have done for me, and for your wonderful promises to me. Please help me to remember these victories when times are hard, and keep me from falling into temptation. Help me to keep looking forward to the promises that lie ahead, not the things I’ve left behind, and give me the courage and faith to face the battles to come. Amen