Deuteronomy 2:1-7 – “Then we turned and journeyed into the wilderness of the Way of the Red Sea, as the LORD spoke to me, and we skirted Mount Seir for many days.

2 “And the LORD spoke to me, saying: 3’You have skirted this mountain long enough; turn northward. 4 And command the people, saying, “You are about to pass through the territory of your brethren, the descendants of Esau, who live in Seir; and they will be afraid of you. Therefore watch yourselves carefully. 5 Do not meddle with them, for I will not give you any of their land, no, not so much as one footstep, because I have given Mount Seir to Esau as a possession. 6 You shall buy food from them with money, that you may eat; and you shall also buy water from them with money, that you may drink.

7 “For the LORD your God has blessed you in all the work of your hand. He knows your trudging through this great wilderness. These forty years the LORD your God has been with you; you have lacked nothing.”‘ NKJV

When Israel was wandering in the wilderness during their 40-year trek they came to a time when the LORD spoke to Moses and said, “You’ve taken enough laps around the mountain, now is the time to move to take the next step.”  I have discovered, in life, that if we experience a test or trial in our lives and we fail to learn the lesson, modify our attitude and/or actions we get to take another Lap around the Mountain. 

It may not be exactly the same situation, but it will become obvious that it is the same mountain, the same test, the same demand, and the same type of issue.  In school, if we fail a course, we have the distasteful task of retaking the course.  If we are trying to correct a problem and we take inappropriate steps or we fail, we have to repeat the repair. 

In relationships, we may not get a second chance with the person we have failed, but we will go through the same type of situation allowing us to get it right.  That is one of the reasons some people find themselves in the same kind of relationship time after time.  They never learn the lesson and the same type of situation arises repeatedly.  If, after a few times, you face the same type of situation you might want to reconsider what you are doing, and your attitude, and allow the Holy Spirit to change you.  Sometimes, it is not a new partner that is needed but becoming a new partner.

Even in their trudging through the wilderness learning God’s life lessons they were never lacking!  As we learn the life lessons God is teaching us and then begin the northward trek toward the Place of Promise and the Abundant Life God has designed and desired, we will face enemies.  Not only will we face enemies but face them on an escalated scale.  Sometimes, we tend to think that our purpose is to force others to adopt our worldview and in that, we begin to meddle with them. 

There is a Place of Promise God has designed for us and what He has given another is not ours so Hands Off!  Never allow envy or jealousy to grip your heart.  What someone else has is not your concern.  Being who God desires you to be is.  If we are willing and obedient to the LORD, we will eat the good of the land and God will be with us in all that we do and face.  That is a Position of Power and a Place of Promise!

God bless you as you enjoy today’s opportunities!