Dr. Bob Odom, Ph. D.
December 1, 2022
One of my favorite passages in Scripture is Deuteronomy 8:2. “And you shall remember the whole way that the Lord your God has led you these forty years in the wilderness, that he might humble you, testing you to know what was in your heart.”
A wilderness can be defined as a place of the unknown. It is a place of uncertainty. The wilderness is that place where we are in transition and question what is next for us. It is the in-between place of where we have been and where we are going. It is a place where we encounter rugged, harsh places. I am not sure about you, but I would not say I like the wilderness. But the wilderness journey is a necessary one.
Why is it necessary? It is essential because it is where we understand more about ourselves. It is noteworthy that in the passage above, we see that the purpose of the wilderness is to understand what is in our hearts. In the wilderness, we learn that we are impatient. It is hard to wait for the unfolding of God’s will. We learn how much we try to accomplish things independently in the wilderness. Conversely, we learn how much our faith in God is needed in the wilderness.
In the wilderness, we can sometimes feel we have lost everything. There have been times when I have been obedient to respond to God’s calling and enter a time of transition. I have begun to wonder if I have genuinely heard God’s voice in this transition. I have been made aware that not much is happening at the moment. The doors are not opening. Promises have not been kept. Things can seem lost.
But, in the wilderness, we can miss what God is doing because we look into the future rather than living in the moment. In the wilderness, we can miss the provision of God. Or better yet, we can complain about His provision because we want something different. Living in the wilderness, we can become discontented with the daily provisions of God like the children of Israel. We can become bored with what God has given us.
I do not like the wilderness for several reasons! I want action. I want to move forward! I want to know where I am headed and what the future holds. I do not like the unknown. I like order, and the wilderness creates dissonance where the truth and reality I live in are tested. The wilderness comes along and turns my world upside down.
But, I have learned that the wilderness is not a bad thing. I understand my heart better in the wilderness—emotional issues surface. Our emotions are most often symptomatic of spiritual matters. I realize that my impatience is an effect of my lack of faith. It is also a sign of my desire to accomplish more than God’s will.
In the wilderness, I struggle to trust that God is hearing me or working for me! I know He is, but it is hard to understand He is! I learn patience as I do not know how long the journey will last! I have been here before, and each time in God’s timing, He has led me to the promised land, or at least my promised land! Sometimes it is an hour, a day, a week, or even a year.
But like the Children of Israel, I can easily forget what God has done. I can forget that He provided food. He kept my clothes from wearing out. He has given me food to eat. He has protected me from the enemies around me. He has given me leadership and people around me who love me and care for me. In the wilderness, He has drawn me into deeper worship.
In the wilderness, I learn to submit my will to His! We have been taught this, but it is easier said than done in the wilderness. I want to help get answers in the wilderness, so I am tempted to help God out. I am tempted to open doors God never intended to open. I am tempted to manipulate God’s purposes.
So, if you are in the wilderness, be patient. Enjoy the moment. Live in the present and look at the beauty of God all around you. You might be surprised by what you see. Several years ago, my car broke down, and I had to walk home. In the slowness of that journey, I saw things that had only been a blur when driving in the car. I saw the beauty around me that I never saw before. So, in the wilderness, look for the beauty of God and experience His grace and mercy to the fullest.
Questions for you:
- Are you in the wilderness now? If so, what is God teaching you about yourself?
- In the wilderness, can you see the beauty around you?
- What emotions are being revealed that need to be dealt with?
- How is your ability to be patient in the wilderness working out for you?
Copyright © Robert W. Odom, 2022
The Wilderness Experience
Dr. Bob Odom, Ph. D.
December 1, 2022
One of my favorite passages in Scripture is Deuteronomy 8:2. “And you shall remember the whole way that the Lord your God has led you these forty years in the wilderness, that he might humble you, testing you to know what was in your heart.”
A wilderness can be defined as a place of the unknown. It is a place of uncertainty. The wilderness is that place where we are in transition and question what is next for us. It is the in-between place of where we have been and where we are going. It is a place where we encounter rugged, harsh places. I am not sure about you, but I would not say I like the wilderness. But the wilderness journey is a necessary one.
Why is it necessary? It is essential because it is where we understand more about ourselves. It is noteworthy that in the passage above, we see that the purpose of the wilderness is to understand what is in our hearts. In the wilderness, we learn that we are impatient. It is hard to wait for the unfolding of God’s will. We learn how much we try to accomplish things independently in the wilderness. Conversely, we learn how much our faith in God is needed in the wilderness.
In the wilderness, we can sometimes feel we have lost everything. There have been times when I have been obedient to respond to God’s calling and enter a time of transition. I have begun to wonder if I have genuinely heard God’s voice in this transition. I have been made aware that not much is happening at the moment. The doors are not opening. Promises have not been kept. Things can seem lost.
But, in the wilderness, we can miss what God is doing because we look into the future rather than living in the moment. In the wilderness, we can miss the provision of God. Or better yet, we can complain about His provision because we want something different. Living in the wilderness, we can become discontented with the daily provisions of God like the children of Israel. We can become bored with what God has given us.
I do not like the wilderness for several reasons! I want action. I want to move forward! I want to know where I am headed and what the future holds. I do not like the unknown. I like order, and the wilderness creates dissonance where the truth and reality I live in are tested. The wilderness comes along and turns my world upside down.
But, I have learned that the wilderness is not a bad thing. I understand my heart better in the wilderness—emotional issues surface. Our emotions are most often symptomatic of spiritual matters. I realize that my impatience is an effect of my lack of faith. It is also a sign of my desire to accomplish more than God’s will.
In the wilderness, I struggle to trust that God is hearing me or working for me! I know He is, but it is hard to understand He is! I learn patience as I do not know how long the journey will last! I have been here before, and each time in God’s timing, He has led me to the promised land, or at least my promised land! Sometimes it is an hour, a day, a week, or even a year.
But like the Children of Israel, I can easily forget what God has done. I can forget that He provided food. He kept my clothes from wearing out. He has given me food to eat. He has protected me from the enemies around me. He has given me leadership and people around me who love me and care for me. In the wilderness, He has drawn me into deeper worship.
In the wilderness, I learn to submit my will to His! We have been taught this, but it is easier said than done in the wilderness. I want to help get answers in the wilderness, so I am tempted to help God out. I am tempted to open doors God never intended to open. I am tempted to manipulate God’s purposes.
So, if you are in the wilderness, be patient. Enjoy the moment. Live in the present and look at the beauty of God all around you. You might be surprised by what you see. Several years ago, my car broke down, and I had to walk home. In the slowness of that journey, I saw things that had only been a blur when driving in the car. I saw the beauty around me that I never saw before. So, in the wilderness, look for the beauty of God and experience His grace and mercy to the fullest.
Questions for you:
- Are you in the wilderness now? If so, what is God teaching you about yourself?
- In the wilderness, can you see the beauty around you?
- What emotions are being revealed that need to be dealt with?
- How is your ability to be patient in the wilderness working out for you?
Copyright © Robert W. Odom, 2022
Life on the edge 