Contemplating the wilderness

“A voice of one calling: In the wilderness prepare the way for the Lord; make straight in the desert a highway for our God.'” Isaiah 40:3

In considering the Lenten season in which we find ourselves in the Church calendar year, I’ve been thinking a lot about “the wilderness” and how such a place manifests itself in our lives. What exactly is a “wilderness” beyond the biblical narrative’s depictions of it? I’m always intrigued by the parallel between the Israelites’ forty years in the wilderness and Jesus’ forty days there. Undeniably, there is something significant about the fact that Jesus was tempted just as intensely as all others had been before Him, yet He made it through those difficult and trying days in perfection, whereas all others fell short.

I understand that sometimes we, like many throughout Scripture, find ourselves in a wilderness because of our own choices and lack of obedience to God. But I also understand that many times we find ourselves in a wilderness that has nothing to do with our choices. Either way, my instinct in a difficult season is to fight my way out of it. Today, however, I was reminded of a different approach to the challenging times of our lives. Pastor and author Pete Greig posed this question about our days in the wilderness:

“Is it possible that God has actually called me into this dry, difficult, or disappointing place? What if I were to make peace with it instead of fighting it?”

What if, instead of trying to fight our way out of our wilderness seasons, we made peace with them? What would that look like? How would that ultimately impact our minds, our bodies, our souls—and those around us—for the glory of Christ and the sake of His Kingdom?

Making peace with the wilderness seasons in our lives comes down to embracing a spiritual rhythm of receiving and surrendering as we learn to recognize our Guide through it all. For the One who perfectly overcame His wilderness is the One who now guides us through ours.

~em

Pete Greig, Lectio 365, February 20, 2026, devotional app, 24-7 Prayer.

Social media photo credit: Wesley Tingey