If you have spent any time in a desert you know it is a dry, parched, lifeless looking place. The heat is often intense and the landscape has a look of desperation as it clings to any nourishment or shade. Nobody wants to spend any time in the middle of a desert! And yet life often brings us desert moments. (Disappointments, illnesses, grief, confusion, frustration, injustices) Sometimes those moments becomes seasons and sometimes those seasons seem to never end.
I have walked through a few of those in my life. Never for long periods of time thankfully, but a few seasons where things didn’t seem too cheery and the heat of my situation was draining me of life. It’s in those moments that we long for hope, and some kind of refreshment.
I talked to a friend this past week that has been facing a desert situation the size of the Sahara in his life. His work has taken him to exhaustion and his options for relief seem more than distant. His energy, motivation and confidence has been sapped. There isn’t much left. He’s at the end of his strength. Praise be to God that even in his miserable situation he hasn’t lost hope in God’s transforming power. It’s that power that keeps him moving forward one step at a time, trudging through the sand of his desert place.
If you can relate to my friend, either now or from past experiences, be encouraged by this word of encouragement from the prophet Isaiah.
Isaiah 51:1-3:
“Listen to me, you who follow after righteousness, you who seek Yahweh: look to the rock you were cut from, and to the hold of the pit you were dug from…. (v.3) The LORD will surely comfort Zion and will look with compassion on all her ruins; he will make her deserts like Eden, her wastelands like the garden of the LORD. Joy and gladness will be found in her, thanksgiving and the sound of singing.”
The Israelites were reeling from Babylonian captivity in this chapter but God grants them beautiful promises through the prophet Isaiah. These promises hold a lot of truth for us today as well. Here are a few takeaways from this passage.
Three Truths about the desert
- Lonely but not alone
Wow, do desert seasons often times feel lonely! Pain and confusion can make us feel like no one is around and no one cares. But the truth is God is always there. He never leaves us and never forsakes us. (Deut. 31:8) In this passage Isaiah commands the Israelites and us today to “look to the rock for which you were cut.” Turn to God, seek shelter in him. Remember who you are. Remember where you came from. Remember the death that was paid for your sins. Remember the stamp of righteousness and life you have inherited through Jesus. You are not alone! In your desert wilderness welcome the presence of Jesus and allow Him to remind you of the price he has paid for your redemption.
- Barren but teaming with life
The desert seems dead doesn’t it? You look around and it feels like a lifeless wilderness. However, the truth is that deserts are actually teeming with life. Thousands of species find their home in deserts. Birds, reptiles, insects, plants, flowers, trees etc. What seems like a wasteland is actually growing life. How true it is in our desert experiences as well. When everything stops and the pain closes in we must not forget that God is producing life in us! He is refining, unveiling, building and restoring even in the pruning and burning. Which leads to point number 3:
- Undesired but necessary
Rarely do people love trudging through the desert. On most days it’s simply too hot and unbearable. A forest with a cool breeze and gentle waterfall seems way better. Why do we have deserts anyways?!? Believe it or not deserts are actually vital to our world and ecosystem. Not only do they provide life for many of the species mentioned above but there’s more. Many important gems, rocks and minerals are refined and generated in the dry arid soil. It takes this unique environment to produce these important elements. Also, the bacteria that lives on some types of sand absorbs carbon and is actually one of the vital elements to containing global warming. [1] Deserts are vital and necessary to our world! So too are the deserts in our life. Suffering is the proving ground for what we believe. How will we respond to hardship and disappointment? Will our response be to trust in God? The apostle Peter writes: “Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice.” (1 Pet.4: 12-13) Friends, desert moments in our life are necessary in order to grow, prove and develop our faith.
Three Truths about God in our desert places
- God promises transformation and restoration
I can’t imagine what Eden was like. A lush, beautiful garden of peace, and unending joy. A place where evil did not exist and pain and fear were unknowns. Far different from the desert moments we face in life. In Isaiah 51 God makes a promise to those who seek righteousness. He says: “he will make her deserts like Eden, her wastelands like the garden of the Lord.” Only God could fulfill such a promise. No matter the trials that have come in your wilderness times God can and will restore you. His promises begin the moment we surrender to him and will continue throughout eternity!
- God promises an unfading future
Our desert places sharpen in us a longing for our eternal home. In Christ we have been given an inheritance beyond our wildest imaginations. An inheritance that can never spoil, fade or die away. Energy fades, beauty fades, passion fades, even our cars fade over time but God never does. He promises a hope that is living, vibrant and never-fading.
- God promises joy and gladness
I love the final statement in Isaiah’s encouragement. Joy, gladness, thanksgiving and singing. Our prayer in the desert is not simply for strength and survival but joy and singing. Is it possible to walk through our trials and wilderness moments with joy and thanksgiving? With God it is. Not because the suffering goes away but because the perspective of eternity comes into picture. With the Spirit of God as our guide we can rejoice in our sufferings counting it all loss for the sake of Christ. (Phil 3:8-10)
To God be the glory for the promises he gives in the midst of our desert moments.
For His Glory
God wants to pour His compassion out on you. He wants you to receive His comfort during your times of desert. His promise here in Isaiah is real because it is about His glory. God wants to take your tragic places, your wastelands and manifest His glory through them. Are you trusting His goodness during your wilderness? Are you believing that He wants to completely redeem the deserts of your life and transform them into Eden like long ago? May you find strength in His promises and hope in His presence!
Growth Point:
Desert seasons are necessary struggles that help us grow in faith and stir our hearts towards the promise of eternity with Christ.
Scripture Point:
Read Phil. 3:8-10. Reflect on the eternal perspective that Paul gives in this passage.
Action Point:
Where are you seeing God work in your seasons of desert? Take a moment to journal about God’s goodness to you in this season giving him thanks for his provision. Commit to reminding yourself of these good things each day for the next week.
Leave A Comment