Digging Ditches In The Desert, Really?

We've all been clueless, we've all been criticized, and we're all searching for confidence. We want to be confident things will be okay, even when we don't see it. In this article, we'll look at how to find, grow, and walk in confidence, despite what the world says about mental illness.

At some point, we're all at our wit's end. We're exhausted, burnt out, and ready to crawl into a corner. Why can't things work out in our favor for once? Even people who say they don't believe in God get to a point when they pray for miracles.

So where are they? Where are these miracles that are supposed to show up out of nowhere and make things all better? We can't wait around forever, can we?

What if I told you maybe the miracle is on the other side of waiting? Sometimes we give up just shy of the miracle we'll never see because we didn't put the work in.

Let's take a look at 2 Kings3: 16-17 & 20

This story occurs after a seven-day march through the Desert of Edom, and the armies of the king of Israel, the king of Judah, and the king of Edom have run out of water. That adds up to quite a few exhausted, thirsty, and no doubt cranky people. I think we've all walked through our own deserts at one point or another, only to end up the same way.

Elisha, the prophet, then instructed them: "¹⁶ And he said, “Thus says the Lord: ‘Make this valley full of ditches.’ ¹⁷ For thus says the Lord: ‘You shall not see wind, nor shall you see rain; yet that valley shall be filled with water, so that you, your cattle, and your animals may drink." 

Start digging ditches, really? Can you imagine marching in the desert for seven days and then being told you must start digging because water will appear out of thin air? I can only imagine the division it created among the men. I picture the following three groups having way different reactions.

• The Critics: These guys scoffed and said it wasn't possible. The ones who said why won't the water just appear without digging ditches? Can't God send us jugs and barrels full of ice-cold water? Are you sure God is even real? You know the kind of people I'm talking about. We've all met them. They'll tell you a million reasons why things won't work out, but never once why they will. Most of us have these people in our daily lives. The critics can also live in our heads after being diagnosed with a mental illness. Saying things like why bother striving for a normal life and you’ll never fit in.

• The Clueless: These are the ones that followed the group, thinking there might be free snacks, and ended up seven days deep in the desert. It was too late when they looked up and realized where they were. Not only do we know people like this, we've all been this person before. These types will follow the majority, no matter which direction it leads.

• The Confidant: These are the ones who were confident God would deliver. It's called faith. Yes, they were tired. Yes, they were weak. Did they want to give up? Of course, they did. Believing in God doesn't mean life's circumstances are any less difficult. It means there is hope when others can't see it.

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The truth is, we've all played each one of those roles at some point. Most of us who have been diagnosed with a mental illness woke up in a desert we never saw coming, but here we are. Now what?

Let's continue on to verse 20

²⁰ Now it happened in the morning, when the grain offering was offered, that suddenly water came by way of Edom, and the land was filled with water.

God had delivered! I can only imagine the joy and relief when they woke up. This is now completely my own opinion, but I'm betting the miracle was received differently by each of the above types of people. What do I mean by that?

• The confident, or those who had faith, probably dug the deepest ditches and holes. They were preparing for the abundant blessing and, in so doing, received it!

• The clueless were likely divided by who they were camped out closest to. They were blessed according to the company they kept and who they followed.

• The critics, well, I'm not sure about these ones. I bet some stood around laughing, pointing fingers, and saying it would never happen. Others perhaps dug a little bit, just in case.

So what's the point of all of this? Don't quit short of your miracle. Have faith and put the work in. Your miracle might just be proportional to your faith, so keep going. And last but not least, be one of the confident, not just for yourself. Dig your ditches deeper so you can share with others, and they might see God through you. There’s somebody out there only you can reach because of what you’ve been through. Be the one who supplies the water you wish you had in your desert.

Why Should you believe in God? Read Here!

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