The Wilderness

In the Wilderness. Let’s explore the Biblical theme of wilderness experiences—times of waiting, uncertainty, or difficulty—and how God uses these seasons for growth, preparation, and transformation. The wilderness is not a punishment but a preparation for God’s purpose.

Have you ever felt like you were in a wilderness season? Maybe you’re waiting for answers, feeling distant from God, or walking through a tough time that just doesn’t seem to make sense. Well, you’re not alone. The Bible is filled with stories of people who spent time in the wilderness. From Moses and the Israelites to Elijah, David, and even Jesus Himself, the wilderness has always been a place where God does some of His best work.

We’re going to explore what the wilderness represents, why God sometimes leads us there, and how we can grow through it. Isaiah 43:19 says, “For I am about to do something new. See, I have already begun! Do you not see it? I will make a pathway through the wilderness. I will create rivers in the dry wasteland.” God is always working, even in the dry seasons, and He’s preparing you for something greater.

Exodus 13:18 says, "So God led them in a roundabout way through the wilderness toward the Red Sea. Thus the Israelites left Egypt like an army ready for battle."

Often, we can look at the detours of life as making mistakes or no longer being on the right path. But sometimes, the wilderness is not a detour—it’s part of God’s plan.

God led the Israelites into the wilderness to prepare them for the Promised Land.

When I am making anything, there is the step of preparing everything before actually starting to cook or bake. I have to make sure I have all the ingredients needed so I can be prepared for what I have to do. It is in the preparing for the cooking or baking that we may feel we really aren’t making any progress because the food isn’t done yet. But it is because of the prepping that the food will be done and complete when it is supposed to be and in the right way and time. We must be patient... that’s what I tell my kids when they ask why it’s taking so long for dinner to be done. Sometimes we just forget there are steps to be taken before we get to the end result.

What might God be preparing you for during this season?

God uses the wilderness to humble us and test our hearts.

Deuteronomy 8:2 says, "Remember how the Lord your God led you through the wilderness for these forty years, humbling you and testing you to prove your character, and to find out whether or not you would obey his commands."

Growth happens when we depend on Him instead of our own strength.

When we are in the wilderness waiting, it could be because God says we aren’t ready for what’s next. We may think differently, and that’s fine, but regardless of what we think, God will not budge and let us move forward until it is time.

In that time where we may think we are ready, there may need to be some refinement that happens before we are ready. I mean that while we are waiting and pressing forward with where we currently are, there might be lessons to learn or character changes that need to happen. God wants to equip us with everything needed to succeed, and so because of that, we need to be obedient where we are and be patient. God’s delays are not denials.

What is God teaching you about trust and obedience in this wilderness?

In these two scriptures—Exodus 13:18 and Deuteronomy 8:2—God moved the Israelites to the wilderness for protection and to humble them.

None of us want to feel as though we are walking through a wilderness. We naturally want to prosper, be healthy, and of course have comfort through life. But when our focus is only on that, we can be blindsided when a wilderness comes. We don’t understand, and we just want out. But what I find interesting is that Jesus purposely went into the wilderness in order to seek the Lord.

Sometimes we are placed into the wilderness in order to be taken out of comfort and to solely rely on the Lord. If you feel like you are in a time of wilderness, take a note from Jesus: sit in it and turn your complete focus to God. Pray, journal, and really reach out to the Lord. Ask Him to show you what He is preparing you for and how you can obey.

God isn’t wasting your wilderness—He’s using it to prepare you for His promises.

1 Kings 19:11-12 says, "And as Elijah stood there, the Lord passed by, and a mighty windstorm hit the mountain... but the Lord was not in the wind. After the wind, there was an earthquake... And after the earthquake, there was a fire... And after the fire, there was the sound of a gentle whisper."

Elijah encountered God’s still, small voice in the wilderness. But he just had to stand there for who knows how long as the wind blew, an earthquake came, and then fire... all just waiting to hear the Lord speak.

I don’t know about you, but I don’t want to really stand in a storm. But if I was told to by the Lord just to encounter His voice, I think I would.

Sometimes the wilderness strips away distractions so we can hear God more clearly. As we just read, there was nothing but distractions for Elijah, but I think it is a testament to his faith and focus on the Lord not to be distracted but to stand and wait for the Lord.

Here are a few ways we can be intentional in seeking God in a dry season: intentional prayer, focused scripture reading, spending time in nature, journaling, engaging in worship music, seeking fellowship with other believers, acknowledging your feelings honestly with God, and allowing space for quiet reflection.

How can you create space to hear God’s voice in your wilderness?

Even Jesus spent time in the wilderness.

Matthew 4:1-2 says, "Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted there by the devil. For forty days and forty nights He fasted and became very hungry."

The wilderness can be a place of testing but also a place of strengthening. Jesus demonstrated this by being in the wilderness for as long as He was with no food.

I fasted for three days in order to get some clarity and to be refilled. During that time, I was surprised by all the things I was able to do without feeling hungry, and when I did feel hungry, if I focused on God and prayer, that really went away. The Bible says we cannot live on bread alone. We also need water. That water really revives us and keeps us going. Spiritually speaking, that water is the Lord, as He is the living water. When in a wilderness, when we focus on the sustenance provided by God, we will be able to withstand so much and be amazed by it.

In fasting, prayer, and solitude, we draw closer to God because we are being intentional with who we are, what we are doing, and what we are seeking.

How might God be strengthening you for what’s ahead?

Find a place where you can be intentional and spend time in prayer, in worship, and invite God to meet you. Whether you are in a wilderness or not, we need to seek the Lord in order to be ready for anything.

When we seek the Lord while in the wilderness, we seek to encounter who He is and what He has for us. These moments are necessary for a close relationship with Him, to refine us, and to grow us.

God meets us in the wilderness with His still, small voice and His strengthening Spirit.

Isaiah 43:19 says, “For I am about to do something new. See, I have already begun! Do you not see it? I will make a pathway through the wilderness. I will create rivers in the dry wasteland.”

God brings transformation in the wilderness, creating new paths and possibilities.

God is always moving and directing. There are times we just don’t feel the connection with God that we should, and that may not have anything to do with our prayer life and Bible study time. It just might be because God is creating new paths and possibilities, and we just feel the distance, but it’s just that things are being prepared.

Trust God and know that the new things He is doing will be so great and that His timing will be perfect.

God’s presence sustains us in the wilderness, even in the darkest valleys.

Psalm 23:4 says, "Even when I walk through the darkest valley, I will not be afraid, for You are close beside me. Your rod and Your staff protect and comfort me."

Life’s uncertainties can cause so much turmoil because we just feel like we don’t know what is going on or how to get out of what we are in. But God gives us many stories and scriptures in the Bible where He brings guidance, comfort, and courage, and in that proof, we can trust that He will be with us as well.

Some practical ways to cling to God’s promises during challenging times are: regularly meditating on relevant scripture, engaging in honest prayer where you openly share your struggles, actively seeking community support, practicing gratitude, and reminding yourself of God's past faithfulness in similar situations.

We have discussed Isaiah 43:19 and Psalm 23:4 this hour, and we are told that God is doing something new and that even in the darkest valleys, we don’t need to be afraid because God is our comfort.

Hold on to this: your wilderness is temporary, and what’s to come is exactly as it should be. The impact and the growth that you are experiencing during all of this will be so impactful and will be part of your testimony of what the Lord has done in your life.

Let me pray for you:

Lord, thank You for being with us in the wilderness. Help us to trust Your purpose, seek Your presence, and embrace the transformation You’re bringing. We know that You are doing something new in our lives. Amen.

Remember that the wilderness is never wasted when we trust God’s plan. We just need to be patient, seek the Lord, and remember that He has everything under control.

Isaiah 30:21 says, “Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, ‘This is the way; walk in it.’"

God is with you in every season.