“Immediately after his baptism, the Spirit drove Jesus out into the wilderness…”
In every life there comes a time of testing. A time that tests our strength, our will, our faith, our trust in others, ourselves and God. There are many names for this time of testing..."The Desert", "The Dark Night of the Soul", and "The Wilderness" are a few. In the Wilderness we often feel alone, misunderstood, clouded, hopeless and weary. This season is much like winter within the seasons of nature. Winter is dreary...the sky is grey, the grass turns yellow, trees are barren, color seems to fade away and we are left to wait for the season to end. It is a time for pruning to cut off old growth, and to make room for the new.
The Wilderness, like the winter, can be beautiful and terrible. The awe inspiring, towering trees swaying in the wind, the rugged mountain ranges, cliffs and waterfalls, valley's and trickling streams. Teaming with life...and yet life is always hanging in the balance. There is so much to enjoy in the Wilderness, and so many ways to be tested. So much beauty and peace...and so much danger and fear. The Wilderness can feel very isolating. It can quickly change from peace and safety to despair and tragedy. If it wasn't like this, it wouldn't test us. The greatest test is to our faith in Him. Do we really believe that He is good, loving and trustworthy? The Wilderness reveals our weakness and our strengths to our own hearts. Where does our faith really lie? In Him? Or in our ability to have faith in Him? It's a fine line that is exposed in the Wilderness.
In the Wilderness we must remember that we are never alone, no matter how we feel. The Wilderness is not the time to rely on our circumstances or our emotions, it is the time to rely on the truth of God's word and the character and nature of God. Our emotions will lie to us when we are in deep pain. We can not depend on our own perspectives but it is imperative that we get the perspective of heaven. "Though I feel alone, I am never alone. Jesus loves me and His Holy Spirit is here with me, whether I feel Him or not, to comfort me and to counsel me."
When Jesus was in the Wilderness, He used the word of God as His weapon to fight off the attacks and accusations of the enemy. If we are walking alone in the Wilderness, the difference between peace and fear is the weapon that we hold in our hand. The word of God is the sword that will give us peace in our season of Wilderness.
Deuteronomy 31:6
"Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.”
John 14:1
“Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me."
Song of Solomon 8:5
"Who is this coming up from the wilderness leaning on her beloved?"
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