Moab did not know anything of the process of unsettling, and the people made but little moral and spiritual progress. “His taste remained in him, and his scent is not changed” (Jeremiah 48:11).

A life of monotony is not the most conducive to spiritual growth. Some can reach the highest standard of spirituality only through the breaking up of the regular order of things….

God desires human beings to be more closely associated with Him. Therefore He takes them away from their friends and acquaintances. When God was preparing Elijah for translation, He moved him from place to place, that he might leave behind the methods and customs he had previously followed, that he might not settle down on his lees, and thus fail of obtaining moral greatness and spiritual soundness. It was God’s design that Elijah’s influence should be a power to help many souls to a more perfect experience.

Let those who are not permitted to rest in quietude, who must be constantly on the move, pitching their tent tonight in one place and tomorrow night in another place, remember that the Lord is leading them, and that this is His way of helping them to form perfect characters. In all the changes we are required to make, God is to be recognized as our Companion, our Guide, our Stronghold, and our Dependence. We are to ever be moving, advancing in knowledge, and thus it will be [that] they follow on to know the Lord. The light of His leading He will prepare as the morning.

The Lord has various ways of testing and proving His people. Again and again He has brought about changes to see whether His human agents will keep His commandments. When in His providence He sees that changes are essential for character building, He breaks up the smooth current of the life. He orders that changes shall be made, so that His worker shall not stagnate by following the regular order.

We are living in a time which calls for decided, sanctified action. Everything that can be done by the followers of Christ should be done, for the enemy will work with all his power to deter souls from receiving the truth…. But nevertheless, God’s work is to go forward. We are to sow beside all waters, even though we know that many will seek to extinguish the light of truth.—Letter 59, June 5, 1901, to A. G. Daniells.

The Upward Look p. 170
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Prayer Requests
—-My nephew Nathanael is missing. He is 13 years old. Prayers desperately needed. Nathalie
—-My friend is now asking for prayer for her six-year-old grandson in Colorado who has become ill and is awaiting diagnosis. Marsha
—-Zayden is 8 years old and lost his vision in his right eye yesterday. He was medically transported to Children’s Hospital and was diagnosed with cancer yesterday. He’s been sick for 2 weeks and is now in a fight for his life. The family is asking for prayers and for God to intervene! Robin
—-Please pray for all those who have the corona virus and for all the health care workers who are caring for them.
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Dear Friends,
Years ago, Ron visited a dentist and his family who had a baby. Normally, when a baby is born into a family, what a time of joy it is! As the parents see that little one for the first time, they are filled with such love for that new little life. They anticipate his first smile, his first word, his first step. Each day there are new developments to enjoy. But this baby girl brought only sorrow to these parents. This girl had continued to grow physically, but had stopped developing mentally when she was six months of age. She had been a baby for 16 years! She could sit up, and smile, and make little baby noises, but that was all. The dentist said to Ron, “Parents often say that six months is such a sweet time, they wish their baby could stay at six months forever. They don’t know what they are saying.” How sad! What a tragedy!
Sadly this tragedy is repeated spiritually in way too many lives. Yet, we rarely realize it, for a lack of spiritual development is not as apparent as was that poor girl’s lack of mental growth. Just as a baby should grow and develop, so the Christian should be constantly growing into the image of his Redeemer. Paul spoke to the believers in the Corinthian church about their lack of growth. “And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ. I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able. For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men?” 1 Cor 2:1-3 When speaking to the Hebrews, he said, “For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat. For every one that useth milk is unskilful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe. But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.” Heb 5:12-14 Think of it! Paul tells us that if we are fighting with fellow church members, if we are envious of them, if we hold animosity toward them, if we do not forgive them as Christ forgave; we have stopped developing spiritually to the point that we can not endure sound doctrine. Fearful position! We are like the Laodicians who thought they were spiritually rich and increased with goods, and in need of nothing; but were in reality wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked. (Rev 3:17)
May we “grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ” “that we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive; But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ:” 2 Peter 3:18 Eph 4:15, 16
Rose

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/rosesdevotional/~3/_f94thGzA48/why-god-permits-unsettling-experiences.html