When I was little I used to love the carousel, or merry go round ride as many of us call it. After one ride on it had finished I would yell, “Again, Again!” I could have stayed on that ride forever spinning around and around, not even thinking of any dizziness or nauseous that may follow. Of course my mom would tell me I was going to be sick, but I was a kid so of course I didn’t care. However now that I’m older I compare that simple, childhood memory to life; it’s no longer just some ride.
There are some things in our life that we need to let go of. There are some people we need to cut ties with. There are some behaviors and activities that we need to stop participating in….but we don’t. Instead of my mom’s voice telling me I’m going to be sick, now it is God’s voice.
God’s saying, “Leave that relationship you’re gonna get hurt. Don’t go there you’re in danger. Stop doing drugs they will kill you. Stop having unprotected sex outside of marriage you’re gonna get pregnant, you’re gonna get sick. Stop being friends with them, they will be your downfall.” The warnings go on and on and on and they all equate to the one line my mom would tell me when I wanted to take another ride on that merry go round…..”you’re going to be sick.”
That’s all those consequences God gives us in those warnings we know we feel mean. We are going to be sick if we don’t stop. Not necessarily sick in the physical or literal sense, but spiritually sick. You know where your mom used to stand waiting for you get off a ride? God is the one standing there now. Aren’t you getting dizzy, aren’t you nauseous? God is literally watching us get back on this ride over and over and over again and He’s still there waiting for us to get off.
When we’re spiritually sick we can’t reach God, we can’t get a prayer through unless it’s one of true repentance. Why do we think we can leave God standing there alone and expect Him to give us what we ask of Him right when we ask Him for it?
BUT you see, God is so gracious and merciful. He’s literally still standing there. He’s not angry, He’s not yelling, He doesn’t want to punish you. He’s actually sad and His spirit is heavily grieved. He keeps trying to tell you that the thrill of the ride you keep getting on, this merry go round that is so enticing is not worth it. All He wants you to do is get off the ride. He’s begging you, pleading with you. Like a child returning to our mother after we’ve just done wrong is the same manner in which we approach him once we get off. “Father, I’m sorry I didn’t listen. Forgive me. I should’ve listened and now I don’t feel well help me.” That is what God is waiting for and He will do just that! He will chastise you in love and help you!
I was on the merry go round for years, not quite as long as the Israelites in the wilderness, but it was long enough. When God took the children of Israel out of Egypt to bring them into the promise land, it was never the plan for it to take 40 years. It should have taken them 11 days, but because of their complaining and their disobedience they wandered around in the wilderness for 40 years. They wanted to stay on the merry go round ride so they did. Don’t let that be you.
Numbers 14:26-35 (NIV) — https://www.biblegateway.com
“The Lord said to Moses and Aaron: 27 “How long will this wicked community grumble against me? I have heard the complaints of these grumbling Israelites.28 So tell them, ‘As surely as I live, declares the Lord, I will do to you the very thing I heard you say: 29 In this wilderness your bodies will fall—every one of you twenty years old or more who was counted in the census and who has grumbled against me. 30 Not one of you will enter the land I swore with uplifted hand to make your home, except Caleb son of Jephunneh and Joshua son of Nun. 31 As for your children that you said would be taken as plunder, I will bring them in to enjoy the land you have rejected. 32 But as for you, your bodies will fall in this wilderness. 33 Your children will be shepherds here for forty years,suffering for your unfaithfulness, until the last of your bodies lies in the wilderness. 34 For forty years—one year for each of the forty days you explored the land—you will suffer for your sins and know what it is like to have me against you.’ 35 I, the Lord, have spoken, and I will surely do these things to this whole wicked community, which has banded together against me. They will meet their end in this wilderness; here they will die.”
What’s funny is, God tells us to get off the ride, He WARNS us and we don’t. So now we’re stuck in our own wilderness experiences mad at God that we have yet to arrive at our promise land. The nerve of us right? The nerve of me. Just like the children of Israel, once we enter our wilderness experience after numerous warnings prior, there is no guarantee we will come out of it. Only 2 individuals, Caleb and Joshua made it out to see the promise land. Only 2.
Glory be to God that He has begun to bring me out of my wilderness! I stayed on that merry go round way too long. Now I see so many of you making the same mistake and I don’t want you to. That voice from your gut is the Holy Spirit, urging you to get off of that merry go round ride. Please take heed to it. No more rides. It’s time to grow up. It’s time to let go.
Nichole Redeemed 
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