What comes to mind when you hear the word “wilderness?” Do you think of desert, forest, backwoods?  One of the meanings I found describes wilderness as: Wilderness or wildlands (usually in the plural) are natural environments on Earth that have not been significantly modified by human activity, or any nonurbanized land not under extensive agricultural cultivation. You might be an avid hiker and have experienced this environment firsthand.

But have you ever felt like you were in the “wilderness” in the biblical sense? The wilderness in the Bible is a place where God reveals Himself and important meetings occur. It is generally defined as a dry, uninhabited, and uncultivated land. The wilderness is a place of encounter, preparation, separation, and revelation. Figures like Abraham, Moses, Elijah, and Jesus had profound experiences with God in the wilderness.

I know some of you have been in this type of wilderness before and some might even be there right now. It can be a place of great frustration and exhaustion because often it seems that little is happening while in this place. The following is from a recent blog I read regarding wilderness: “However you must resist the urge to rush ahead. Great transformation takes place there. Don’t jeopardize it by hurrying ahead or removing the pain of giving the birth to a new vision. Let God do his work.”

No truer words! I have been in a very a long season of travelling in the wilderness and at times I wanted to rush ahead into decisions and looking back now, they wouldn’t have been good ones, nor God honoring. Plus, I would have missed one of my next steps in career and bringing that vision to fruition. Starting something new, changing a role, making big decisions, etc. can be quite intimidating. But there comes a time, when you might find yourself in the wilderness and everything around you seems to be a bit chaotic, just remember to breathe and let Him work. Pay attention, don’t rush and I promise you will come out of the wilderness with new vision and excitement. Some of your biggest breakthroughs will take place in the wilderness.

The wilderness is a locale for intense experiences, of renewal, of encounters with God. Don’t miss out on this opportunity, don’t give in, and run! But also remember, how I might experience God and how you experience Him may be very different. Don’t be looking for a specific experience / encounter as it will be unique to you and your relationship with Him.

Over the next few months, I will be sharing more about my wilderness experiences and my next steps in starting a ministry / life coaching business and how I have been “in training” for this for a very long time.

Thanks for stopping by the fire,

Coach Dennis