“If only the Lord had killed us back in Egypt,” they moaned. “There we sat around pots filled with meat and ate all the bread we wanted. But now you have brought us into this wilderness to starve us all to death.” Exodus 16:3
Where are my wilderness people? Anyone?
Having grown up in the great state of Iowa, I know there is much to appreciate. We have incredible people, incredible opportunities and, in my opinion, some of the world’s greatest sunsets.
What don’t we have? Spaces where you can get lost exploring uncharted territory. Just ask anyone who has flown over our state. It’s a grid system of gravel roads and highways that pretty much looks the same. We have corn. We have water towers. We do not have wilderness.
Which is why I love taking my family west to the mountains or north to the Boundary Waters Canoe Area. I love unplugging from the pressure of life. I love the quiet. I love the simplicity of life when the agenda is to eat, sleep and explore. Secretly, I also love the challenge.
The wilderness can be pretty darn hard sometimes. When you find yourself away from the comforts you have become accustomed to like running water, a bed, or even a refrigerator, you stretch yourself, you struggle and when you stretch yourself you grow.
And growth is a good thing.
That is, after you are finished growing and can appreciate the experience. In the middle of Exodus the Israelites have hit their limit. One chapter they’re singing to God as the victor who buried the Egyptian army under the torrent of the Red Sea and the next they are whining like 2 year olds accusing God of abandoning them. They have had enough. They want life on their terms and they want it now.
What is missing in their relationship with God is what many consider the bedrock of any healthy relationship…Trust. They have great need and the current circumstances just will l not do. They do what we might be tempted to do in our own struggles: turn and blame God. The good news for us today is that he does not turn and fight our fire with fire. He responds with grace. He loves us enough not to give us what we want, but to give us what we need.
Next time you find yourself in your own “wilderness” remember two things. First, you are not alone. God is more than happy to walk with you in the wilderness. Second, God loves you enough to use the wilderness for your good. A lot can grow in the desert. For some, it is resentment, bitterness, or despair. For others, it is endurance of heart, Christ-like character, or even a more abundant perspective on life. It is up to you which one will flourish.
Questions for reflection:
- What have seasons of “wilderness” looked like for you?
- What tends to grow inside of your heart when you find yourself in the wilderness?
- What examples in your own life back up my statement that God loves you with not what you want, but what you truly need? Do you agree?
- What does your heart need today? What does it look like for you (and the people who love you) to ask God for it?