The Wilderness... More Than Surviving

Whether we are led by the Spirit into the desert or seized by the desert from all directions, we are irrefutably there. You can not run from it, you can not hide from it, you are simply just there. Subject to its elements, its terrain, held captive to its lack of judgment, lack of reasoning. Forced to play by its rules, its way of thinking and it ultimately becomes the judge. And there is a price to pay when you choose not to play along. Because of the Wilderness’ dictatorship mentality, your emotions start to betray you; your mind becomes trapped inside a cold and moist prison. Searching desperately to become free, plotting its rare chance of escape, but how, the Wilderness is that gigantic bully you dare not mess with.

Your Wilderness longs to embarrass you, it desires to humble you. Perched up on a ledge waiting for you to fall and it’s not satisfied until you’ve lost it all. Your chances of survival are slim, why hope it only leads to dead ends. Isn’t there suppose to be a ray of hope, a light at the end of the tunnel, how life could turn from being so good to now this. Your Rocky Balboa deep down inside of you has no desire to fight. You’re on the eight-count and the Wilderness is not letting up. Thoughts enter your mind, “Well you’ve tried your best, there’s nothing you can do, and to give up it is your only option.” Defeat has moved in and it has become that pesky guest that decided to stay longer.

But then from what seems out of no where in the deepest corner of your heart you recall scripture. “I have come to give life and life more abundantly.” – “Never will I leave you nor forsake you.” – “Greater is he who is in me than he who is in the world.” – “I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength.” – “Being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it out to completion.”

Then all of a sudden BAM! - There is your beam of light, its dim at first but it proceeds to grow. And as it grows so do you, your gigantic bully doesn’t seem to be so gigantic anymore. Why? Because you are choosing to look past the bully and see the blinding light just beyond him. You have stopped focusing on the Wilderness and now are imagining the benefits that will come as a result of the ability to survive it. And that is what simply allows you to endure, to pass by. Your success is waiting for you on the other side.