The Deserts
“Jesus, you’re worth it.” These are the words I managed to whisper through tears in the the darkness—not one time—but countless times over the past 16 years.
Notice the title reads “The Deserts” (plural), not “The Desert.”
One desert, even if it’s large, is never enough to refine us and purify us in the way He deserves. Notice in Luke 1:80, in reference to Johnny B, the greatest man up until that day: “So the child grew and became strong in spirit, and was in the deserts till the day of his manifestation to Israel” (Luke 1:80, emphasis mine).
Many of you have the subconscious belief that once the trial you’re currently facing ends, you will be out of the desert and brought into the promised land. No more significant trials. No more setbacks or major disappointments.
I write this not to be negative, but to help you. If you don’t have a grid for the Christian life being difficult by design you’ll think you’ve done something wrong every time you face a new challenge. Instead of seeing a new giant to slay and new strides to make in your relationship with God through the trial, all you’ll see is the heartbreak that this fallen world causes us, and you’ll internally shut down.
This does not make the desert easy. It’s not supposed to be! But as James instructs us, if we focus on the benefits of the difficulty, we can even find joy in the midst of the trial. “Consider it a great joy, my brothers, whenever you experience various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. But endurance must do its complete work, so that you may be mature and complete, lacking nothing” (James 1:2-4).
This seemed unreasonable when I was told I was insane by those I love for my devotion to Christ. When my endocrine system seemed to fall apart and I could hardly leave home. When spiritual warfare woke me up nearly every night for a decade. When my mom passed away unnecessarily at age 61.
My point is not to share sob stories but to let you know I get the struggle. The heat of the desert is intense, but sometimes only turning the heat up can remove the impurities within.
Nearly every piece of gold you’ve seen, no matter how beautiful, is not pure gold. To remove the impurities, 1000 degrees won’t do it. Even 1500 degrees won’t cut it. You have to crank it up to 2000 degrees! And sometimes it takes several times!
Zealous but naïve 20-somethings who have passed through a big desert often think, I’ve passed the test, now I’m ready for all God has promised me!
Little do they know, there are many more deserts ahead. Some are confused as to why they’ve not entered their “promised land.” Don’t get bitter. Jesus still has not received the full reward of His suffering!
I know this may disappoint you, but you never fully enter the promised land in this life. It is all a brief internship for the age to come. This is the only time you can get rewarded for crossing through deserts with joy! You’re going to face deserts in your 30’s, 40’s, 50’s, 60’s, 70’s, etc. And sometimes they get more difficult, not less!
Don’t neglect to read David, Paul the apostle, and others. Troubles didn’t end when David became king; they just changed. The trials got far worse for Paul when his apostolic ministry took off!
But, above all, keep your eyes on Jesus, who suffered well to the end. And know that “The Lord your God has blessed you in all the work of your hands. He has watched over your journey through this vast wilderness” (Deut. 2:7). And He’ll be with you in every desert. May you find Him there and rejoice in the paradox of the fellowship of His sufferings.
