We have all been there, stuck in the proverbial wilderness. The Israelites were stuck in the wilderness for 40 years. Hopefully, you and I can learn from their experience and stop feeling stuck.
At this point, I am a self-proclaimed Wilderness Wanderer. Maybe you feel the same. Through poor choices, deciding not to listen to God, and my own stubbornness, I have spent plenty of time in this particular locale.
Feeling Stuck Attitude
It is so easy to feel stuck in the wilderness. God and I have had MANY conversations about my time here. I even threw a tantrum or two when I realized I was staying in the woods. Then one day, I was listening to the Battlefield of the Mind audiobook by Joyce Meyer, and she said, “Your attitude in the wilderness directly determines how long you will stay in the wilderness.” That was a moment to ponder and self-reflect! Tears, check! Tantrums, check! Arguments with God, check that too!
Clearly, my attitude was that of a toddler instead of a grown adult!
Quickly flashing into my brain were all the Bible verses I have heard about rejoicing in all circumstances. Oh boy, did I immediately begin rejoicing!!! Thank you, God, for this time in the wilderness; I will change my attitude TODAY!
I am sure you can imagine that God did not immediately remove me from the wilderness. Nope, instead, he taught me many things!
Life is a Journey, Not A Destination
God showed me that there is much more to life than the destination I am trying to reach. When I spend all my time focused on one singular point in my life, I waste my life. I am missing out on the things happening in the here and now.
Today there are opportunities to serve God and meet the needs of those around me. God will provide everything I need to do what He asks me to do. When I am only focused on getting out of the wilderness, I miss all of the comfort, joy, and help I can provide to those around me.
There are lessons in the journey to prepare us for our destination. When the Israelites arrived in the Promise Land, God did not give them the entire land on day one. He knew in his wisdom that they were not ready to care for the whole land that he had planned for them yet. Likewise, we are not prepared for the destination we have in mind. God will use our time in the wilderness to prepare us for His beautiful destination.
Feeling Stuck Brings you Closer to God. – Literal Wilderness
Have you ever been physically out in the wilderness, alone, at night? Allow me to set the stage for you! You are in the beautiful mountains of South Dakota. The air is fresh and smells of pine. Pine trees reach up to the sky all around you, and you are nestled in your tent above a cushion of soft pine needles. The sky is clear, and you can see countless stars. In the distance, you hear a pack of wolves howling.
Suddenly you decide now is the perfect time to venture out of your tent to walk to the restroom. You quickly realize that what you thought was an amazing campsite in the daytime because there was not a soul around to interrupt the beautiful peace of nature has turned into a VERY dark and lonely place. It is so dark that you can’t see anything and your flashlight, which seems so bright, only lights up a tiny part of your path. The serial killer documentary that you watched before your trip is flashing in your head. As you continue your short trek, you start praying, “Please, God, don’t let me get eaten by a bear or taken by a serial killer.”
Feeling Stuck Brings you Closer to God.
While my literal wilderness story is humorous, we often find ourselves in a similar situation in our figurative wilderness. We know that we need God, and it is much easier to reach out to him when we have no control over our situations.
It is a time to have a closeness with God that is hard to achieve in other circumstances. I call it my secret place. God meets me there and provides whatever I need. If you have never been to the secret place, meet God there! He is your comforter and provider. It is easier to come to God when you need him the most than when you think you have everything under control yourself. Enjoy this time and strengthen your relationship with God. He will never leave you!
Change your Perspective
Can the wilderness feel daunting? Yes! Can you become overwhelmed, impatient, and frustrated? Yes, yes, yes! When these things happen, I encourage you to have a heavenly perspective. This is hard!
A heavenly perspective requires you to set aside your past experiences, desires, and stubbornness. A heavenly perspective requires you to have faith!
“For truly I tell you, if you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you.”Matthew 17:20-21
I recently learned from Kristi McClelland that in Jesus’ time, people learned from their Rabi as they walked and did. The Rabi frequently taught from things they were familiar with. It is a safe assumption that Jesus taught the same way. The mustard plant spreads like crazy! While you might take the verse literally to mean a very small amount of faith, you can also look at it as a picture. A tiny mustard seed can grow mustard like crazy. Your faith is the same. Take a step in obedience, and God will meet you where you are.
Trust his life plan and that he loves and cares for you! You are not in the wilderness because he has abandoned you there. You are in the wilderness because He is preparing you for what is next.
Look to heaven instead of your current circumstances. Your life has a purpose much greater than the things on your wishlist. God has plans for you and a role that only you can fill. Have a little faith and know that the wilderness is not a bad place to be. It prepares you for the riches that God has in store for you.
Are you ready for the land flowing with milk and honey?
Need more support in the wilderness? Head to the resource library to print off your wilderness survival guide!
