Wilderness

I was standing over a pile of dishes this morning that I’ve stood over many times before. God often meets me over dishes! In the stillness of that moment God gave me a reminder of His presence in many wilderness seasons.

Oh, how I’ve wanted to wish away the hard seasons while in them, but there is purpose in that part of my story. Friends, there is purpose in the season you are walking through right now.

It has shaped me and our family in ways that I see as unexpected gifts. I have gained a perspective in cherishing our days, a hug from a child is sweeter, time is more precious, freedom from fear, piles of laundry wait, my heart has been opened to sit with others in their suffering, it has brought us closer to one another and to the ONE who comforts us.

It has taught me to abide in the one who is all-knowing, all-powerful and all-loving. He has gone before us, is still with us and won’t ever leave us. Abiding is something I am still learning and will continue to until that day I meet Jesus face to face.

When trials come in my flesh I want to put my head in the sand, sit in despair, and live in the what if’s! Can anyone else relate?

We all have or will face wilderness seasons - that no one gets, days where we want someone to hold us and tell us it’s going to be okay, trials that make us weep, and you want to do anything in your power to make it change or go away!

As much as I love the embrace of family and friends (I’m a hugger) - abiding with Christ is a holding that won’t ever stop - living in Him and remaining in Him. It is a relationship that is intimate - He knows my heart beats, my fears, my joys.

Abiding means to wait, delay, dwell, remain behind. Our current culture doesn’t highly regard any of those words and honestly they are hard things to do.

There is beauty in the waiting with Him when we want to do rather than be, and there is purpose in the dwelling and delay when we want to trek ahead.

May we not see abiding in Him as remaining behind or holding us back, but as a crucial part of our journey. May we have eyes and hearts to see that wilderness seasons have purpose. There is mighty purpose when we are in His presence.