For God’s people, it can be expected that a wilderness experience will occur at some time or times. A wilderness experience is a trying period of spiritual and/or emotional emptiness and loneliness that can also consist of financial and physical burdens. It’s an experience that usually follows success or achievement of some sort. It happened to the patriarch Job; Elijah after his victory over false prophets (1 kings 19: 1-8); after ancient Israel came out of Egypt through the Red Sea; and even to Jesus Himself following His baptism (Mark 1: 12, 13).

Looking at those cases, it appears that God allows for these dry times of struggles to come, not because sinning is taking place, but because such a drought can serve as a means of testing.  We can bank on our faith being tested by God-ordained trials like these. The times may be hard, especially with the temptations that will come, but as can be seen in the four examples cited above, God and/or His angels are always in attendance, ready to assist.

God is never far away. He is closely pays attention to what goes on in our lives. He is there to help, never allowing for there to be too much temptation for us to handle. In fact, He’s especially with us to give us a way out (1 Corinthians 10: 13). The burdens endured in the wilderness are an opportunity to wait on the Lord and watch him work. It is a chance to experience His peace in times of trouble, and It helps us grow into mature Christians.

Let’s accept the apostle apostle Paul’s encouragement that we can pass through and come out of the wilderness undefeated. He points to the treasure within us as to why we can. He says we may be “hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. [That’s because] We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body” (2 Corinthians 4:7–10).

We are reminded that it is God who has said “Light shall shine out of darkness” (2 Corinthians 4: 6). Believing in that promise will allow us to exit the wilderness by the grace of Jesus’ power. As a result. we will be fortified; God will be glorified.