"Why am I in the wilderness season?"
"What did I do to deserve this?"
"Where are you, God?"
These are questions everyone asks in the wilderness season. It may seem like God isn't anywhere to be found and that you're wasting time in this dry place. Waiting on God often comes with frustrating moments where you cry out, "What am I doing here?". But what if there's a purpose of the spiritual wilderness season that's actually for your benefit?
I want to share a few reasons the wilderness season is for your good, not for punishment or unnecessary delay.
The wilderness season stirs up hunger.
One of the defining characteristics of the wilderness is a strong sense of dryness in your faith. The passion you once had for Jesus is gone. The things you used to love doing to spend time with him no longer bring any benefit. God's presence seems to evaporate overnight, and you have no idea how to find him now.
As strange as it sounds, this is intentional to stir up a hunger in you that makes you long for God more than before. The wilderness makes you confront the reality of where your heart is centered: on Jesus and his presence, or on the comforts and gifts that may be absent in this season. He wants us to want him, and as that hunger grows have faith that he will reveal himself in a fresh way that was worth the wait.
The wilderness season deepens trust.
The wilderness season comes with so many unknowns and uncertainties. As circumstances suddenly change, you're left questioning beliefs that once felt certain and left with no clear answers.
It's in this space of mystery that we're invited to get to know God for who he really is. By letting go of any false images you may have about God, you make space for him to show you new sides of him. And when you understand his goodness and love better, this creates the foundations for true trust in him.
The wilderness season brings healing.
When life comes to a grinding halt in the wilderness season, all of the burdens and emotions may suddenly come to the surface. It's so common these days to rush from one thing to the next, to stay distracted and avoid moments of stillness. It can be terrifying to acknowledge the fear and pain that you're carrying underneath it all.
But the wilderness can become a unique and helpful space to unpack the hurt you've been experiencing and receive healing from Jesus. He doesn't want you to be weighed down by it all, and sometimes that means facing the discomfort so you can release it to him. In the wilderness, you have the opportunity to become untangled from past pain and patterns so you can move into the next season with freedom.
The wilderness season reveals your identity.
If you find yourself wondering about your purpose and who you're meant to be, you may be surprised to find the desired clarity in the wilderness. When opportunities, relationships, and activities begin to be stripped away, you're left asking the question, "Who am I if I don't have (fill in the blank)?". It can be quite sobering to think about, but the great thing is that God won't leave you hanging.
The wilderness exposes where we've placed our identity apart from how God sees us. This not only reveals who you aren't, but gives you a chance to learn more about who God created you to be. As you make room to listen to the voice of Love, you'll start to notice how he speaks to you about your identity and purpose that's better than anything you could imagine.
The wilderness season produces fruit.
In the midst of the wilderness season, it may appear like nothing is changing or growing. Your soul feels dry and your life looks barren. Yet even when it looks as if God's not moving or you're not making any progress, something is happening deep within you.
God wants to take you through an inner process to prepare you for a fruitful season soon to come. It can feel so frustrating and uncomfortable to go through this kind of refinement or spiritual strength training, especially when the results seem nonexistent. What's really happening though, is that good seeds are being deeply rooted down so they will bloom beautifully when it's time.
There is purpose in your wilderness.
It's a season of immense potential for transformation, if we partner with God and allow him to do a deep work in us. I know this is difficult and it doesn't come without costs. But if you can shift your focus towards Jesus and trust in his amazing plans for you, one day you will understand that it was worth it.
If you're looking for a way to process your wilderness season experience, I created some free journal prompts to help you find clarity. Click here to download.
Cover photo by Annie Spratt.
