The Barrenness of the Wilderness

 

As the book of Ecclesiastes tells us, there is a season for everything (Ecc. 3:1-8). Some seasons are better than others and thus more eagerly anticipated. Almost no one anticipates the Wilderness season but as Ecclesiastes tells us, we will all at one point or the other experience this season. For some it may last a decade, for others it may be shorter; one thing is sure: the wilderness season is inevitable.

For anyone wondering, a wilderness is a place that is wild, uncultivated and inhospitable. Bringing it to this context, a wilderness season is that period in your life when nothing is working or everything you do ends up in disappointment, no matter how hard you try. This period in life tends to be characterized by betrayal, disappointments or lost opportunities. In summary, one can call it a crisis season.

In the bible, many of our heroes that went on to achieve greatness went through this season. Take Joseph for example, he went from been the favorite son to been sold into slavery and subsequently sent to prison. It was not easy but one thing was clear all through, Joseph never lost his trust in God. One thing Joseph understood was that the wilderness was nothing more than a test (Ps.105:18-19, AMPC) and through that understanding, he stayed faithful to God, even when it sent him to prison (Gen. 39).

Another example was Job. When you read the opening chapter of the story of Job (Job 1), it reads like the most tragic of stories. It opens with the rosiest of openings any writer could give a lead character in their novel. He was prosperous in every way imaginable. Wealth? He had it, the bible even recorded him as the greatest man in the East (Job 1:3). Children? He had ten of them! What could a man like this ever want. But in the worst plot twist ever, a few verses later, he lost everything! One bad news followed hot on the heels of the next and by the end of Chapter 1, he had lost all his children and property. But guess what, he still remained righteous (Job 1:22).

When you consider the stories of these men, one thing remained constant: they trusted in God and never turned their back on him. Despite the tragedies they suffered. When you experience the barrenness of the wilderness, it is important to remember that it is just a season and like every season, it will come to an end. No matter how many years it takes! The Israelites spent 40 years in the wilderness before they reached the promised land. During the wilderness season, there will be times when you will want to give up, times when you want to fall back to a life of sin, times when you will want to turn your back on God. Remember, it is a test and God wants each of us to pass the test in order for us to be refined and made into what he wants us to be (James 1:2-4, Rom. 5:3-4). In this season of life, trust in God and search His word for His promises; one promise that always encourages me is from Is. 43:19 (NKJV):

“Behold, I will do a new thing,

Now it shall spring forth;

Shall you not know it?

I will even make a road in the wilderness

And rivers in the desert.

As we gear up for a new month, the charge for anyone like me that is in the Wilderness Season is to search His word and trust in God and His promises over us. All His promises have come to pass (Joshua 21:45) and remember, He is Jireh! This too shall pass. If you don’t believe me, ask Joseph (Ps. 105:20-22) and Job (Job 42:10-17). Despite all they lost, God not only restored them, He gave them more than they ever had pre-wilderness season.

 

P.S. Enjoy this awesome song by Elevation Worship and Maverick City: Jireh

Photo Cred: Davy Jones Locker