Click here for a video of this week’s blog!

Sometimes we find ourselves in the wilderness. Again. Another trek through. Or maybe it’s more like we’re going around in circles. (Is anyone else dizzy?)

Did we not pass the test the first or second time? I thought the third time was supposed to be the charm. This fourth visit feels all too familiar.

Is there something new to discover here? Something I might have missed or failed to learn in this specific wilderness?

Security and stability can unknowingly remove the need to trust God as Jehovah-Jireh, our Provider. I see a pattern in my life where I get comfortable and settled, and then it’s almost like a snowglobe. Time for a mix-up! Time to get shaken.

My external circumstances might get shaken, but my heart is steadfast and secure in Him.

“Surely he will never be shaken; a righteous man will be remembered forever. He will have no fear of bad news; his heart is steadfast, trusting in the Lord. His heart is secure, he will have no fear; in the end he will look in triumph on his foes.” – Psalm 112:6-8

These wilderness seasons wake me up and make me aware. They force me to trust and wait and seek. They invite me to rest and savor and catch my breath. To reset, realign, and dream again.

Lately I’m finding that God shows up in the wilderness. His faithfulness isn’t paused in this place. It might even be more magnified because I’m watching for Him.

My flesh prefers to be planted, to stick to the plan, to be comfortable.

But my spirit knows I can dwell here in the unknown because God knows. He sees our next step. He is making a way where there is no way.

“Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the desert and streams in the wasteland.” – Isaiah 43:18-19

We can be grateful for the past, but we don’t have to live there.

Dr. Seuss once said, “Don’t cry because it’s over. Smile because it happened.”

I believe we must grieve the losses; it’s okay to cry. We can also practice gratitude and joy for the good that happened. But we can’t settle there, with our eyes fixed on what was or what might have been.

God is providing here and now – even in the wilderness. There are still gifts to receive here. Time to savor. Joy to feel. Love to experience. Memories to make. Good to witness.

He’s preserving my life. He’s providing. He’s paving a path out of the wilderness.

There’s alway a purpose behind the wilderness chapter, but it was never meant to be the whole book or the main theme. It’s like a Selah, a pause, a recalibration. An opportunity to stop and answer Mary Oliver’s question, “Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?”

Maybe your wilderness experience looks more like a storm or a desert, a fiery furnace or a den of lions. No matter what it feels like, God is trustworthy and reliable. Look to Him to be your Life-Preserver. Wait on Him to be your Way-Maker.

Sometimes we have to be snatched out of our circumstances for change to happen, but as John 10:29 reminds us, no one can snatch us out of His hand.

It’s okay to dwell in the “I don’t know” – it’s not forever. He’s doing a new thing. He’s using the brokenness and ashes to create beauty. He’s taking the bad and transforming it to good. And He’s with you, always, even in the wilderness. Don’t let the enemy deceive you into believing that you’re isolated or alone here.

Two months ago, for one of our “date days”, Jon and I went to lunch and then a hike at nearby Rider Park. It was our first time going there; it was the middle of the day on a Monday, and it was totally empty. Not a car or person in sight. It was peaceful and quiet. A little too quiet. I honestly didn’t enjoy the walk too much because I was on edge. The unknown of the terrain or where we were walking to; the lack of protection from wild animals that live in the area. The wilderness is beautiful but it isn’t my favorite place when I feel unprepared or caught off guard. Thankfully we had a map to guide us, as well as colored marks on the trees to keep us on the right path. But something about turning a corner, unsure of what’s beyond it. Or walking on a trail through an open field, surrounded by tall grass, not knowing if something is lurking within.

The wilderness. It’s wild. Out of our control, with so many unknowns. A place where walking by faith gets real real quick.

This week Jon covered As You Find Me by Hillsong United; naturally it’s been on repeat in my head. I’ve held these words in particular close to my heart:

“And I know I don’t deserve this kind of love, somehow this kind of love is who You are”

and “Your love’s too good to leave me here”

We don’t deserve this love from this kind Father, but it’s who He is. He’s lavished it on us. His love is too good to leave us here. He just wants us; He’s after our hearts.

The trial is temporary – this hardship isn’t our home. God is our Home; “For in Him we live and move and have our being” (Acts 17:28). Our citizenship is in Heaven, and we eagerly await our Savior from there (Philippians 3:20).

In Edges of His Ways yesterday, Amy Carmichael shared Psalm 138:3 – “In the day when I cried thou answeredst me, and strengthenedst me with strength in my soul.” She wrote, “David under trial was not delivered from it at once; the answer to his prayer was strength in his soul.”

Some lessons can only be learned in the wilderness. God may not deliver you out of it at once, or even for the rest of your life. There may be times when you’ll need to return. Regardless of the reason, He can still overwhelm your soul with strength and He will be present with you in the midst of it.

Savor the season you’re in. Fix your eyes on Jesus. Stay the course; don’t give up. Receive His strength in your soul.

“I love you, GOD — You make me strong.” – Psalm‬ ‭18:1 MSG‬‬

“You are their glorious strength. It pleases You to make us strong.” – Psalm‬ ‭89:17‬ ‭NLT‬‬

“Look to the Lord and His strength; seek His face always.” Psalm 105:4‬ ‭NIV‬‬

“As soon as I pray, you answer me; you encourage me by giving me strength.” – Psalm 138:3‬ ‭NLT‬‬

One last quote from Jennifer Rothschild that caught my eye on Twitter after I finished writing this blog: “If you’re in a wilderness or facing a battle, don’t lose heart. You have everything you need to get through it. God’s Word is the weapon that will bring you victory and comfort. So, pick up a Bible and ask God to show You His Truth! He will.”