Walking on Dry Ground

“And the children of Israel went into the midst of the sea upon the dry ground: and the waters were a wall unto them on their right hand, and on their left.” Exodus 14:22

Recently, during a sermon at church, a guest speaker was talking about how the Israelites were crossing on dry ground with the walls of the Red Sea on either side. Their miracle had already started.

This immediately made me think about my own life.

It was this time of the year five years ago when I was given a stage four cancer diagnosis. The oncologists told me that the aggressive, mutated cancer gene I have carries a life expectancy of 20–36 months. I think that is important to include because five years later, I am still here.

I’ve been walking on dry ground for five years.

Yes, I am still asking the Lord to part the waters completely. I am still praying for the miracle of complete healing. But I cannot look at these five years and say that God has done nothing because the final miracle has not yet come.

I have walked through waters I never believed I could cross. There have been days when the walls seemed impossibly high and the way forward seemed impossible to see. Yet somehow, step by step, God has given me ground on which to stand.

The Red Sea was still there. But so was my Savior. 🙌🏼🤍

And I have learned that sometimes a miracle isn’t only found in the moment when God removes the obstacle. Sometimes the miracle is found in realizing that He has provided a way through it.

Months ago, the Lord convicted me to stop placing my full focus on the desired outcome and instead focus more on what He is teaching me through this journey. And He has taught me SO much.

I’ve learned that faith isn’t simply trusting God for the outcome I want. Faith is trusting God because of who He is EVEN while I’m waiting for the outcome.

I don’t know what the rest of my story will look like. I don’t know when the waters will finally close behind me. But I know Who has been with me in the midst of them. He says, “When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee” (Isaiah 43:2).

(This is why it is so important to be in God’s Word. When you know what His Word says about who He is, you can trust Him even when you don’t understand what He is doing.)

Maybe you’re facing your own Red Sea today. Maybe you’re facing a diagnosis, a broken relationship, a financial burden, grief, or something else that seems impossible to cross. Maybe you’re wondering how you’re going to make it through.

You may not be able to see the other side yet.

But look down.

If God has given you dry ground for the next step, take the step.

You don’t have to know how He is going to get you all the way across. You don’t have to see the entire path. You just have to trust Him with the ground He has given you today.

Keep walking. Keep praying. Keep trusting.

I am still praying for the waters to close behind me. I am still believing God for complete healing. But today, I can look back and say:

“For five years, He has enabled me to walk on dry ground.”

And if He has brought me this far, I can trust Him with the rest of the journey….with the portion He has given me in this life! 💕