Let’s stop right there. A time to uproot…
Yeah that never sounds good. However, I have learned in all my years of walking with the Lord, when things/situations keep resurfacing in my life, God is definitely after something. Usually it’s an uprooting of some kind. Granted the situation may slightly vary, sometimes it’s the same person(s) or maybe a different person(s). Nonetheless the underlying circumstance, the principal, is always the same. The same emotions (frustration, anger, jealousy) are triggered, the same deep wounds are reopened. All the while those nagging thoughts (aka conviction of the Holy Spirit) are repetitively pressing in bringing things to remembrance. This is usually the time we want to kick back our hind legs, bury the ...crap, and move on. But God says, NOT THIS TIME!
Don’t believe me? Well you don’t have to believe me, however the Bible is filled with examples of God’s uprooting. For example, the book of Jeremiah speaks about God uprooting nations! The Prophet Jeremiah had to deliver a hard message to the people: God’s judgment against the people for their wicked ways:
16 I will pronounce my judgments on my people because of their wickedness in forsaking me, in burning incense to other gods and in worshiping what their hands have made (Jeremiah 1:16, NIV).
The amazing part is that even with the uprooting for their wickedness, God’s desire was and is for the people to repent of their unfaithfulness, return to Him, and He would be merciful.
12 Go, proclaim this message toward the north:“‘Return, faithless Israel,’ declares the Lord, I will frown on you no longer, for I am faithful,’ declares the Lord, ‘I will not be angry forever (Jeremiah 3:12).
The Sovereign Lord uprooted nations to get the attention of His people, don’t think He wouldn't uproot your life to get your attention!
More on Biblical uprooting.
12 Then the disciples came to him and asked, “Do you know that the Pharisees were offended when they heard this?” 13 He replied, “Every plant that my heavenly Father has not planted will be pulled up by the roots. 14 Leave them; they are blind guides. If the blind lead the blind, both will fall into a pit” (Matthew 15:13, NIV).
For starters, Jesus had no problem offending the Pharisees. By the way, this is not the only time Jesus did this, He repeatedly stirred up frustration within Pharisees ultimately exposing their hypocrisy. Interesting, everything that has NOT been planted by God will be pulled up by the roots.
Those lies planted by the enemy will be uprooted.
Those plans and agendas we have that are not of Him will be uprooted.
Those destructive relationships or people in your life that try to tear you down will be uprooted.
And of course, my personal favorite:
16 Jesus said to her, “Go, call your husband, and come here.” 17 The woman answered him, “I have no husband.” Jesus said to her, “You are right in saying, ‘I have no husband’; 18 for you have had five husbands, and the one you now have is not your husband. What you have said is true.” 19 The woman said to him, “Sir, I perceive that you are a prophet (John 4:16-19, ESV).
Within just a few sentences, Jesus uprooted her life; her past, her shame, and her unhealthy ways of trying to find fulfillment. There are times when scripture starts to come to life and we can see our self having that encounter with God.
Legit, I have been her, MULTIPLE times! Fifteen, twenty, twenty five years later and He has brought me face to face with...
My deep rooted insecurity.
Past relationships where I’ve been hurt or have hurt others.
Relationships and situations that needed closure.
The unhealthy ways I tried to seek fulfillment.
Well, the list could go on.
Realize God will orchestrate certain events in your life that lead to this type of uprooting. Naturally, we live in the mentality to just move on and not get “stuck” in the past. However, we fail to realize our past is always with us, and if we don’t deal with it in healthy terms, we will continue to be “stuck” in it. We will find ourselves reliving the same unhealthy patterns, sins, failures, bitterness, resentments, immature behaviors, etc., etc.
Getting out of dodge won’t help, you still have yourself with you. Pretending your past failures weren’t that bad, doesn't’ change the truth that they were. Changing your gender will not help, because underneath you are who God created you to be. The internal wiring is still the same, and left unkept, we will continue to repeat the same behaviors and fall prey to the same poor choices and responses. The internal wiring needs to be changed and this means facing our past and facing it in truth. Yes the truth hurts, but we have to go there! It’s time to own it, confess it, and deal with the truth that hurts so deeply. It’s time to uproot! Uproot those childhood wounds, the mommy issues, the father issues, the unforgiveness towards someone who hurt you, the rebellious spirit to have your way...
The process is never easy, but the outcome is healing and freedom.
28 So the woman left her water jar and went away into town and said to the people, 29 “Come, see a man who told me all that I ever did. Can this be the Christ?” 30 They went out of the town and were coming to him (John 4:28-30, ESV).
After her encounter with Jesus, she left her jar and ran right into town. No fear of her past or hiding in shame, but ran right into town saying, "Come see the man who told me all that I ever did. Can this be the Christ?"
What is He uprooting in your world right now? Don’t be so quick to dismiss it, it may be Jesus!
Lord for many of us, You have already begun to orchestrate those specific events in our lives leading to an uprooting! You have our full attention and It’s time deal with it. Lord, give us the strength, cover us with your mercy through the process, and sustain us to get through!
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