At some point in life, we all have found ourselves in an in-between place, not knowing whether we are going or coming. This place is a liminal state of mind, very much stuck in the middle of life occurrences. It is uncomfortable but necessary; this place seems like an amiss, and you end up in this place day in and out.
We all have been through different types of wilderness—some dry, deserted, draining, high and low terrains that are often considered a lonely places to be. At times, you feel as if you are isolated and misunderstood, but this is the season you are in at the moment. It feels like you cannot catch a break or one thing leads to another. Have you ever thought, why here and me? But there are many reasons for this liminal place. God uses this place for preparation and protection. Trust me, there are so many more reasons for this very awkward place, but to keep this post short, I want to focus only on these two for now.
For starters, how is this strange place used for preparation? I will use the Children of Isreal as a prime example to answer this question. The generation of the Children of Isreal that left Egypt found the wilderness to be a terrible place to be after their exile from Egypt. They could not get out of the Egyptian slavery mentally, among many other things; therefore, God allowed them to wonder for 40 years to transform them and for that old generation to die off before He found them worthy enough to enter the Promised Land. God had to kill off the slavery mentality and idolatry and separate them from the rest of the people in the land. Just like the Children of Eygpt, we, too, must go through this process to purify ourselves and be in the right mind to embrace what God has prepared for us.
What are some things that God is trying to pull out of you in this in-between place that makes you feel uncomfortable and hinders you from fulfilling God’s word? Listen, you know the one thing you hate to let go of, and you must let it go. We tend to want to hold on to these things because of familiarity, comfort, and “safety.” It may be the things that God is bidding us to let go of so that He can transform us. We tend to think these things are best for us when God asks us to do an exchange, give him what we have, and He will provide us with His promise. But when we are stubborn, we go through the wilderness to acknowledge God’s sovereignty and trust Him where He’s leading us. When you find yourself in a season like this, it is time to examine yourself and recognize why God has you here and what impurities He is trying to pull out or kill out of you so you can walk into His purpose.
When we find ourselves in an uncomfortable place we do not want to be, God sees a way to birth something new within us. When we are led through the wilderness, God protects us from something greater than us that has the potential to destroy us. The wilderness is a hiding place and a refuge. God led the Children of Israel through the wilderness instead of the Land of the Philippines because He knew the Philippines would have destroyed them and His promise. Exodus 13:17 tells us that, “and it came to pass when Pharaoh had let the people go, that God led them not through the way of the land of the Philistines, although that was near; for God said, Lest peradventure the people repent when they see war, and they return to Egypt:, So, to preserve promise, He led the Children of Isreal through the wilderness. Not only does the wilderness shields us from the people that do not mean us well, but it protects us from ourselves. Self-doubts and self-sabotage can influence us to return to the place God had freed us from in the past. God is with us in the wilderness, and there is no need to fear or fret. He never leaves or forsakes us, and He shields us from the predators and all things that lurk in the dark. Even in the wilderness, our needs are met, and we never lack the essentials we need to survive.
Beloved, the next time you find yourself in a wilderness state, remember that God has you there for more reasons than one. Romans 8:18 reminds us that “the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.” What we experience in the wilderness is to build, purify, and protect us. The present sufferings are used to get the greatness that God has a place inside of us…OUT, for His Glory. Do not despise this liminal place! Embrace it, for this place is a transitional place; it connects you to the place God has taken you from to where God has prepared for you.
God Bless!!
God’s Words 2 Me
Powerful message and can truly relate as week when you go to the season.
I will embrace my wilderness.
Oh, the wilderness does not have the amenities to which we are accustomed. It strips us bare of our preconceived notions and exposes our hearts. It is a place where the Lord, beckons us and says, “see I am carrying you like a little child. Trust me with all your heart.” We have to choose what to do. Your post really spoke to my heart today. Thank you! ❤️🥰
Yes indeed, the wilderness certainly expose our hearts and that’s a feeling that the flesh fears. It is our choice to be intentional with what we choose to do in the wilderness. Thank you for sharing, your comment also blessed me.
Praise God! You are welcome!