In the bible’s book of Exodus, we learn that the children of Israel wandered in the wilderness for 40 years, because they refused to trust God and to do what he asked of them. God rescued them from Egypt, when they were held captive by Pharaoh. They complained and doubted every step of the way. They created their own gods to worship. In doing these things, they hindered their own progress. Their journey of about 200 miles, would have normally taken a couple of weeks to travel. Instead of leaving Egypt and arriving at the Promised Land in Canaan soon after, they spent 40 years struggling in the wilderness.
Do you already see yourself in that description? Maybe you have been experiencing setback after setback. Maybe you find yourself in the same situation time after time. Maybe you feel like you can’t catch a break. I refer to this as being in your own personal wilderness. In this article, I am going to show you how to come out of that wilderness and into the promised land that God has prepared for each one of us.
How to Come Out of Your Personal Wilderness
When you find yourself encountering one hardship after another, you should first check yourself. The only reason we experience the same things over and over is because there is a lesson there that we have not yet learned. Look for the lesson to be learned in your situation. Once you have identified it and accepted it, you will begin to grow and you will move on.
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Maybe you checked yourself and realized that you learned the lesson the first time around. If this is the case, maybe the situation isn’t the same. Maybe there is more to be learned. Maybe the situation occurred again so that you can see how much you’ve grown. In this case, practicing gratitude may be the key to coming out quickly. Don’t complain. Don’t doubt your faith. Just keep pushing, being thankful throughout the entire process.
The last thing you want to do is keep your heart set on better things to come. While it is important to be present in every moment, it is helpful to think of better times ahead, when you are faced with struggles. Keep yourself in good spirits. Think about the things you desire. Every thing only lasts for a time. After that, you have to move past it.
Don’t be like the Israelites. Be grateful for your blessings. Trust that whatever happens next will be better than where you’ve been. Then, you can arrive at your promised land sooner than later.
Have you been wandering around in your own personal wilderness?
