Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. James 4:7

I’m not really a “wilderness girl.” While I love outdoor activity,  I don’t consider sleeping in a sleeping bag, or digging a hole for a bathroom to be fun. Sorry if that disappoints you.

Even worse than camping (or insert whatever you’re not a fan of), are those wildernessy seasons of life that knock the wind out of us.

Do you know what I mean? Seasons of wandering aimlessly, searching for some sort of solution to life's latest problem. The end date remains illusive, and we're constantly struggling to get our bearings. It may be a season of sickness, or job loss, or the end of a relationship, or uncertainty about your future. Whatever the specifics, wilderness seasons stir up an acute awareness of just how dependent we are on God’s leading, presence, and provision. They’re frustrating. Discouraging. One step forward, two steps back. They make us feel like we’re weak and barely living, certainly not thriving.  

They’re also inevitable, and prime acreage for the enemy to tear us down even more. Having just experienced a long wilderness season, and not seeing clearly what the enemy was up to until now, I feel so strongly about sharing this biblical perspective with you.

Enemy Tactic 1 - he lies:

John 8:43 tells us Satan is the Father of Lies. We know this. But we can still get tripped up because his lies aren’t always obvious. They could be close to the truth, or have a familiar, comfortable, hint of truth. He’s crafty enough to capitalize on our weaknesses and insecurities, and whisper something that sounds like something we’d be better off believing.

For me his hideous hiss was, “Why bother writing. No one will read it anyway. Stop wasting time.” As someone who has tremendous aversion to “wasting time”, this left me feeling anything but motivated to do what I know the Lord has called me to. But I bought in, because there’s a whiff of truth in there. It is true that without God’s calling, equipping, motivation, joy, and endurance my writing is worthless. But with Christ, it’s a holy endeavor. Unfortunately, Satan’s voice won out for several months.

Here’s my tip:

Take a moment to examine what words or phrases are on replay in your mind. Are they 100% true from God’s perspective?  If not, ignore them. Replace them with words or phrases that are from God. 100% true. Your future is up to the Lord, and the Lord is good.  

Enemy Tactic 2 - he tempts:

As soon as I realize I’m in a wilderness season, my first thought is how do I get out. Satan would love to help us answer this question…with destructive solutions. “Just take the easy way out and quit.”  “You shouldn’t be living like this. Create a new path.”  “Take matters into your own hands.” “Just build a golden calf and worship that” (see Exodus 32). And when we’re feeling weak and weary, these solutions seem great. They look as though they’re the perfect exit from this wilderness, like an offramp to the Four Seasons Hotel in the middle of Death Valley.

They’re not. Their destination is disorder. 

Here’s my tip:

Take a moment to examine how you might be trying to get yourself out of the wilderness. Are you resorting to scheming (this is my #1 go to, by the way)? Are you coming up with plans that are not from the Lord? Are you throwing up your hands in defeat? Remove all of it from your life. God will reveal his good plans to you and will lead you out. Your job is to tune in to his voice. His love. His care.  

Wilderness seasons, although difficult, have eternal value. They teach us to depend on the Lord. They show us how spiritually poor we are. They create a prime environment where we can truly grow in our relationship with him, hear from him, and examine what’s getting in the way of that relationship. Don’t quit. The Lord will sustain you, comfort you, and remain with you every step of the way.

Jesus Triumphed

Jesus endured 40 days of lies and temptation from Satan in the wilderness, yet he remained steadfast (See Matthew 4). Both in the wilderness and on the cross, Jesus triumphed. And his victory is ours. He shares his victory over lies and temptation with those of us who place our faith in him. 

For those in Christ, victory is sure. We can navigate the wilderness with this perspective in mind, and use it to grow in relationship with our reigning, victorious King.