The Bible presents both literal and figurative wilderness experiences. Scripture’s main literal wilderness experience, that gives the metaphorical one its name, is the Israelites wandering the desert for forty years. God had freed the Israelites from slavery in Egypt (Exodus 3:7–10), protected them from the Egyptian army (Exodus 14:19–22, 30–31), and given them laws and a covenant to bless them forever (Exodus 19:5–6; 24:7–8). But as soon as they actually saw the land God had promised them, they drew back in fear, not trusting God to fulfill His promises (Numbers 13:30–33). In response, God disciplined them by having them wander for an entire generation (forty years) in the wilderness before allowing them to move into the land (Numbers 14:26–30). The Old Testament also records the prophet Elijah’s wilderness experience, running for his life from Jezebel, and how God enabled his survival (1 Kings 19:4). In the New Testament, Jesus is driven into the wilderness to be tempted by Satan, but the Father sends angels to minister to Him (Mark 1:12–13). The Bible also depicts metaphorical wilderness experiences, i.e., the challenges many Bible figures face, whether physically or spiritually. The New Testament records many trials the apostle Paul faced (Acts 14:19–20; 2 Corinthians 11:24–27; 2 Timothy 4:16–18). In all cases—whether literal or figurative—Scripture teaches that God never abandons His children (Deuteronomy 31:6; Psalm 37:28; Matthew 28:20; Romans 8:38–39). With God’s love for us, we can endure the most dense wilderness (2 Corinthians 4:8).
Survival shows are entertaining. People enjoy watching others try to make it in a remote wilderness. We want to see how they survive by their own wits and resourcefulness. But the truth is, those shows are staged, and despite how alone someone looks, there’s a camera crew nearby. In real life, very few of us really want to face the deprivation and misery of wandering in the wilderness. Yet many of us do—at least metaphorically. We sometimes feel alone in the wild, far from God, spiritually dry, our prayers seemingly unanswered. We may feel a sort of spiritual depression and lose our joy in the Lord. Some, during this time, experience a spiritual attack. Others undergo temptation. These wilderness experiences might be the consequences of our own sin and lack of attention to our relationship with God. For instance, maybe we stopped regularly reading the Bible or allowed ourselves to start skipping gatherings with Christian brothers and sisters. In other words, we’ve wandered willingly into the wild even though we know the dangers. But sometimes, wilderness experiences will seemingly appear from nowhere, maybe as a time of testing by God to produce maturity in us or to encourage us to lean on Him (2 Corinthians 12:8–9). Often, these circumstances occur following "mountaintop experiences"—times when we feel close to God and are especially aware of His presence. After such a high, the valley of the wilderness can feel especially low. But God will help us find our way out of the wilderness. We must pray to Him for strength, doing what He has called us to do despite our circumstances. With God’s love for us, we can endure the most dense wilderness (2 Corinthians 4:8).
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