We Must Be Like the Turtle and Keep Our Eyes to the Sun

I just finished watching this YouTube Short of a Brazilian slider turtle in the desert. We meet the turtle isolated in the middle of a barren, sandy desert. Tired, dehydrated, and in desperate need of water, the turtle rises from the sand to continue on it’s journey. But again, the turtle is deep in the desert. Not a lick of water in sight. The turtle doesn’t know how she’s going to get to the water, but she knew what she needed and she trusted her journey. There was nothing and no one around her. All she had was herself and the sun.

She looked towards the sun for guidance. The turtle would get a whiff of the scents from the humidity the bodies of water nearby would produce, but as she kept going along her path, she lost the scent. Perhaps the turtle felt lost but was too tired to turn back. However, the turtle stayed on her course following the sun and her intuition. Just when the turtle was ready to give up hope, a rain cloud formed over the top of her head and poured down exactly what she needed most.

As the rain cloud evaporated, it caused the desert to open up into pools of water in between the dunes of sand. Quite literally a miracle. God gave the turtle enough to sustain her before giving her more than what she asked for. All the turtle had to do now was to find the edge of the dune to discover her oasis that awaited her.

Once the Brazilian slider turtle was able to get to her destination, she was able to do what she does best, arguably what she was created to do: slide. She slid down the sandy dune into her clear, heavenly oasis. Not only did she get the water she desperately needed but she also found a mate!

What God has for you cannot be duplicated or rescinded. What God has for you is meant for YOU and no one else but YOU! Not only did the turtle receive more than what she asked for, but God made a way for her to receive it when no other way seemed possible. God made the unthinkable happen. Pools of water opened up in the middle of the desert. The turtle probably would’ve been satisfied with just the rain. All she wanted was relief. But God gave her double, if not triple, for her trouble! God provided her with a pool of water, in addition to the rain. God gave her food to eat, and a place the turtle could stretch, kick her feet out, and swim around. God also gave her someone she could enjoy the oasis with!

God has not forgotten about you. You are right where you need to be. Just like the turtle, you followed your intuition; you did what you thought was right, only to lose scent of the water. Only to feel more and more distant from the very thing you need and have been praying to God about. Then, all of a sudden it happens. The gates of heaven open up just so you can receive the exact thing you need at the perfect timing. (1)

Not only does God want to provide you with relief, but God also wants to give you the space to use the gift that He has placed inside of you and that you have been working on and honing during your season of isolation. Your gift will make room for you, just how the desert opened up to allow the sliding turtle to do the very thing it does best. (2)

Don’t let anybody tell you where they think you’re going or what they think you should do. As I was watching the video, I thought the turtle was looking for the ocean or a lake. I thought we were going to watch the turtle find and run off into the ocean. Then, the unthinkable happened. The desert opened up into pools of water.

Although the ocean is great and I’m sure many turtles and other sea creatures may have found relief in the ocean, God specially curated this blessing specifically for that turtle. God blessed the turtle with a place where the turtle could be safe and nourished, and even find a partner! Things the ocean may not have been able to provide.

God is not done with you. You are not lost, you are aligning. Everything is working out in your favor. God hears you and wants you to talk to Him more. God wants to give you even more than what you’re praying for, and wants to provide you the space so that you can walk, or slide, in your purpose.

Trust God’s timing. Right when there seems like there is no way out, God performs a miracle. God is going to do it!

Just like the turtle looking up at the sun as a compass, we must keep our eyes focused on God and the promises He has made to us. We must maintain our faith through the dry season, throughout our wilderness season. Because in an instant, just in the blink of an eye, God is going to do the unthinkable just for you.

Sincerely,

Sunshine

1 While perfect time focuses on finding the best opportunity or when to do something, perfect timing refers to the flawless execution or synchronization of an event.

2 ***Steve Harvey explains how your gift makes room for you.***