Life is a journey through different seasons; some are prosperous with good harvests and revitalizing sunshine, and others are stormy, with gray clouds and cold days. Other seasons are like a desert—hot, dry, dusty, and desolate.
I found myself in a desert when, during a very difficult time in my life, I lost the joy of living and the hope of a better tomorrow.
Living in a desert can result in the experience of knowing God. “I will lead her into the desert and speak tenderly to her there” (Hosea 2:14 NLT).
It is not the same to know about God as it is to know God. It is easier to say that we know God in the good times, but I can say that I have also known Him in a desert. There, it was just God and me, and that’s when that verse that had seemed so beautiful at first took on a new meaning. There, I learned to depend on God completely. There, I felt true thirst and longed for the water of eternal life (John 4:15).
In my desert I found Jesus, my good Shepherd, who in an act of love touched my feet to stop my hurried walk. The more difficult my time in the desert became, the more I understood how necessary it was for me to trust God through it. We who have passed through deserts are never the same. Our spiritual eyes are opened, and we learn to depend on God!
If you are in a desert today, hold tightly to God’s hand. Trust that His plans for your life are good, that this difficult situation is not greater than the One who sustains you and will never leave you. Take advantage of this time in the desert to renew your faith, to leave behind anything that hinders you from moving forward, anything that distracts you. Ask God to strengthen you. Get to know Him intimately, give Him authority over your life. He will know when to provide a way out of the desert, and when He does, your mouth will be filled with laughter, your heart with love, and your life with joy. You will remember the crisis that made you look to God, and you will give thanks!
I pray that God will give you patience to endure the desert you find yourself in, to grow your faith, to restore your strength so that you can enjoy the new life that only He can give you. You can rest assured that when you come out of your desert, you will be ready to receive all the new and fresh blessings that God has for you.