Into the Wilderness: Finding God’s Purpose in Life’s Trials

Embracing Faith and Obedience in Your Hardest Seasons

"Then we turned and journeyed into the wilderness in the direction of the Red Sea, as the Lord told me" (Deut. 2:1).

Do you ever feel like God is leading you in a difficult direction? An inner sense warns you that in seasons of uncertainty, you will face adversity and be called upon to make hard sacrifices. Perhaps, like the Israelites crossing the Red Sea (Ex. 13:18), you too are confronted with an obstacle—a barrier between bondage and freedom, the past and the future.

Deuteronomy 2 is a direct consequence of Israel's refusal to enter the promised land, a decision chronicled in the previous chapter. Moses recalls: "See, the Lord your God has set the land before you. Go up, take possession, as the Lord, the God of your fathers, has told you. Do not fear or be dismayed...Yet you would not go up, but rebelled against the command of the Lord your God" (Deut. 1:21, 26).

Choices have consequences, sometimes bitter ones. There are moments when our rebellion against God can be quickly rectified, but at other times, our choices create lasting damage. These moments often lead us into the wilderness, where we are reminded of God's goodness and provision, which we had once rejected.

The wilderness is not a pleasant place. It is a place of uncertainty and hardship, a testing ground for your faith, a crucible that purifies the soul. Moses described it as a "great and terrifying wilderness" (Deut. 1:19), yet acknowledged it was a path the Lord commanded them to take. These wilderness experiences, while difficult, are necessary steps in our spiritual journey, shaping and preparing us for what God has ordained for our future.

Do not despise your wilderness seasons. They are times of reflection, correction, and loving discipline. The wilderness purges sin, cuts away impurities, and humbles prideful hearts that seek their own way. This discipline is not to harm you but to guide you toward righteousness.

We can understand the Hebrew word "terrifying" in two ways: the positive and negative aspects of fear. Throughout Scripture, God commands His people not to be afraid, reminding them of His presence (Gen. 15:1; Deut. 1:21; Ps. 23:4, among others). However, if one rebels against God’s presence and provision, there is cause for fear. The writer of Hebrews warns, "It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God" (Heb. 10:31). Isaiah echoes this sentiment: "The sinners in Zion are afraid; trembling has seized the godless" (Isa. 33:14). Jesus offers a stark warning: "Do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell" (Matt. 10:28).

The Apostle Paul speaks to this tension between God’s kindness and severity: "Note then the kindness and severity of God: severity toward those who have fallen, but God's kindness to you, provided you continue in his kindness" (Rom. 11:22). This balance reminds us to maintain both faith and obedience.

The wilderness experience is designed to be terrifying to those in need of a wake-up call—those who have forgotten who God is, what He requires, and those lifted high by self-promotion and arrogance. The lesson here is simple: fear the Lord, or else you will fear the Lord.

Geographically, the wilderness is a dry, barren desert—a place where Jesus Himself faced intense temptation, and where you and I will also face testing. But even in the wilderness, be assured that God is with you. "For the LORD your God has blessed you in all the work of your hands. He knows your going through this great wilderness. These forty years the LORD your God has been with you. You have lacked nothing" (Deut. 2:7). From the beginning of your wilderness journey to its end, "the Lord your God...will not leave you or forsake you" (Deut. 31:6).

The wilderness is not the end of your story. It is the prelude, preparing you for a life of faithful trust and obedience to God in every circumstance and season.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Ghost: As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.