“But as for you, turn and take your journey into the wilderness…” 

Deuteronomy 1:40 (NKJV)

When I was an older teenager, two of my friends and a female adult decided to venture into the woods to pick blueberries. We talked and hunted for berries during our trek into the woods without noticing the direction we were heading or how deep we were walking into the forest. When we decided to return to the vehicle, we couldn’t determine the path out of what seemed to be a wilderness. We couldn’t figure out whether we were going deeper into the woods or getting closer to the roadway. We started to fret and hallucinate. The youngest person in the group began to cry. I had visions of never seeing my family again. It was only by the grace of God that we found our way out of the wilderness.

The Bible is replete with wilderness stories. The children of Israel wandered in the wilderness for 40 years due to their disobedience. Elijah and Moses had wilderness experiences, and so did Jesus. You, my friend, will spend some time in the wilderness as well. You might not get lost in the woods like I did, but you will become disoriented at some point in life. I will venture to say that all of us have been discombobulated since mid-March 2020. We have been trampling in the wilderness, trying to figure our way out.

What are a wilderness and a “wilderness experience? A wilderness is a dry arid place, a place of uncertainty where God seems to be silent or non-responsive. Everything we depend on is unavailable. It looks as though we are left to our own devices to figure things out. We hear voices and sounds, but they aren’t easy to discern—are they crickets, small rodents, or large predators? Why can’t I discern the voice of the Lord? 

During our wilderness journey, we are vulnerable, naked, and confused. We can’t figure out how we got there; we just know we are there. It’s one of those “God where are You” scenarios. 

Since we live in a sinful world, all of us will face the wilderness test. No one will escape! Many things can lead us into the wilderness; the loss of a job or loved one, the birth of a child, an illness, disobedience, and even achieving can spiral us into the wilderness.

The wilderness test is intended to be self-reflective. It will tests our faith, get rid of self-reliance, humble us, and cause us to depend on God. We can pass or fail the test. Kicking against it or whining and complaining about it will prolong our time in the wilderness. Hansel and Gretel  (fairy tale characters) found their way of the wilderness, and so can we, if we: 

• Give God our undivided attention. 
• Cry out to Him with a sincere heart.
• Repent of all negative and ungodly attitudes and actions. 
• Take responsibility for our weaknesses and failures.
• Get rid of the “woe is me” mentality.
• Be consistent in prayer and reading of the Word.
• Be grateful for our alone time with God.
• Discern God’s voice and follow it.  
• Hold on to what we know about God regardless of what we see, think, or feel.

The wilderness test has its privileges. 

• God reveals Himself afresh. 
• We see and hear God more clearly.
• We learn to be led by the Spirit.
• We learn spiritual disciplines. 
• We discover new strength. 
• We are more sensitive and compassionate with others. 
• We come to know the plan of God for our lives.
• We are prepared and fit for the Master’s use. 

Only God knows when we pass the wilderness test. He decides when to release us back into the general population. My sisters and brothers, there is a reason for entering the wilderness, and there is a way out. Don’t despise your days in the wilderness. It’s for your good and God’s glory. 

Declare,

Lord, I don’t necessarily look forward to the Wilderness test, but I won’t despise it either.

Posted by on Wednesday, February 17th, 2021 @ 10:30AM
Categories: Empowering, Encouragement, Inspirational
Tags: discernment, spiritual discernment, spiritual disciplines, spiritual growth, wilderness days, wilderness experience, wilderness test