Wilderness Continued {Day 23}

Hey friends! I can't believe there are only 7 days left in June and in my little self-inflicted blog challenge! I have really enjoyed getting back into writing again, but I have to admit--there have been some nights that I had nothing to say and wished that I didn't have to write again. But overall, it has been good for me! I wanted to go back to the wilderness discussion again. To those of you that commented--thank you! Here are my answers:

1. Have you walked through a wilderness season of life? (I"m guessing that's a yes for all of us)
I feel like I have been journeying through the wilderness for about 7 years now. I know that might sound crazy to some people, but it is definitely where I have been. One thing I learned from my Bible Study was that God did not lead the Israelites to a desert--He led them to a wilderness. A desert is lifeless, hopeless, deserted (obviously!), and free of all nourishment. A wilderness however has hills, valleys, oases, life, deserts, lush vegetation. So therefore, I can honestly say that I haven't been in a dry, lifeless desert for 7 years, but I have been in a wilderness--a place where I have journeyed all kinds of terrain, and yet I still have not reached my land of promise.

I see 2 pictures in all of this though. I think there are seasons of life that include wilderness journeys that lead to promised lands. But overall, this life of ours on earth is really one big wilderness, and we will not reach our land of promise (heaven) until we die. The past 7 years have had bright, shining, miracle moments for sure. But there have been a whole lot of mountains to climb. A whole lot of valleys full of the shadow of death. A whole lot of refreshment found at a surprise oasis. A whole lot of dry, desert wandering. I feel like this journey of mine has been long and full of so many different aspects. But the overarching truth is that I am aching for more. I am aching to reach that land of abundance. Not material abundance--I could honestly care less about that. I'm speaking of spiritual abundance. The kind of abundance where you wake up in the morning & you are completely satisfied in Christ alone. I know that part of where I am is just the stage of life that I'm in. I'm no longer a child, I'm no longer a passionate teenager, I'm no longer a questioning-everything 25 year old. I feel like as I'm aging, I'm also evolving--longing to be steady. That is so much of what I crave--steadiness. When pain comes, I steadily trust. When goodness & plenty come--I steadily trust & don't forget about my God. Some days I wonder if I will ever leave this wilderness this side of heaven. I long for it, but sometimes I feel like I will never get there.


2. What do you think is the purpose of the "wilderness season" in the life of a follower of Christ?
I think the purpose is first of all God's glory. I think it is about my sanctification--my becoming more like Christ every day. I think that there are some lessons that can only be learned in the wilderness, and because our Father loves us, He leads us to the wilderness--to the desert so that we can learn. I also think that God is so amazingly tender in the wilderness. Not that He's not elsewhere, but there is just something about His love for me as He leads me through very hard painful times that seems so intimately tender.


3. What do you think when you hear this verse: "Therefore I am now going to allure her; I will lead her into the desert..." (Hosea 2:14) Is it hard for you to justify a good God leading His people into a desert?
This one is hard for me to swallow. He doesn't just lead--He allures. That is not an easy teaching. But I have come to trust that my God knows what He's doing when He leads me farther into the wilderness. He is good & He is the Discipliner. That is not easy to justify, and yet I know it is truth.


4. What did you personally learn while wandering in the wilderness?
I have learned that I take my eyes off Jesus entirely too easily.
I have learned that He never takes His eyes off of me.
I've learned that He was faithful before, so I can trust Him to be faithful again.
I've learned that He knows my breaking point and will take me right up to it. And then the
next time He pushes the line back even further.
I've learned that His love sustains.
I've learned that He is a holy God and it is not really about me at all.
I've learned that He works all things together for my good.
I've learned that He is enough.


5. For those of you that have crossed over into the land of promise after a season of wilderness....Was the pain/dryness/confusion/uncertainty/etc. worth it in the end? Why did you answer that way?
Can't answer that one yet, but I think I could put my money on the fact that YES it will be worth it.

One amazing thing that He is teaching me is from Exodus 15:22-27. The waters at Marah & Elim.

After journeying for 3 days without any water, the Israelites came upon the waters of Marah. They were so desperately thirsty. They were so relieved. And then they dipped in their cups & took a gulp & had to spit out the water because it was bitter. So they grumbled and complained about it. Sounds familiar, huh? So Moses prayed and God sent him a piece of wood. Moses threw the wood into the water and the water changed from bitter to sweet.

Sometimes in the wilderness we become desperately thirsty. We feel hopeless, forgotten about, scared. And then we see it--the oasis in the distance--refreshment is near. And then we dip in our cup and what we pull out is BITTER. It is not what we expected. It is not refreshing. It does not bring life. So we grumble and complain. But then God.

Oh, then God throws a stick in it and it becomes sweet. Only He has the power and ability to take what is bitter and make it sweet. Only He can bring change to that which disappoints and does not satisfy us. This is really speaking to my life right now. He can take that which tastes so bitter and full of death and make it sweet. I hope that washes over you today!

And then He leads them to Elim--an oasis where there were twelve springs ans seventy palm trees and they camped near the water.

Sometimes God just leads us right to the blessing--and it is abundant. It is FULL of life--full of plenty. Full of hope. And all of this was in the midst of the wilderness.

But I don't know about you--but I think that if I had been there, and God had taken me to Elim first, I wouldn't have been able to understand what a blessing Marah was. Marah HAD to come first. They had to see how God could take bitterness and bring sweetness before they could have a blessing laid in their laps. Marah always has to come first so that our eyes can be opened to our miracle working God--so that we can be truly grateful for what He has done.

I'm sure Elim was amazing--but I don't know that such a powerful lesson was learned there like was learned at Marah.

God please--bring sweetness to that which tastes bitter in my life!