Don’t let your challenges wipe the smile off your face. (Posing with a sister blogger #throwback)

I asked the Lord to take me through the wilderness. By that I’m sure you can tell how desperate I was. I knew that that decision could only be made by Him and at His time but I was at a point that I felt I needed to be groomed for further greatness.
I had been reading the book of Deuteronomy- actually because we asked the teenagers at church to do so, and as a teacher I had to follow suit. I took note of the Israelite’s 40 years journey through the wilderness. God needed to take them through a process; through the wilderness before they were ready to face Jericho. I thought of the people that had to die on the way so that Israel could match on a baggage free city and a people for the Lord. They needed to experience ‘the hardship’ to actually see how much God loved them. They needed to learn to do things not by their strength but by God’s direction. They needed to learn to be humble and thankful. They needed to learn God’s way.
David also crossed my mind and I came across a message that spoke of the time he had to spend as a fugitive. Although this man had been anointed King, he had to face the wilderness( hiding in caves and on the run) away from what was rightfully his. God had to train him to be a king. He had to take time to be properly formed from the shepherd boy to Israel’s King. He had to learn to hold back and be patient. He also had to learn God’s way.
I thought of Jesus who had to go through the 40 days and nights in the desert to prepare for his break through mission that would change the world. He didn’t go in his strength but the Holy Spirit was with him all through. He needed to face the temptations and needed to overcome not just to show the devil that he was in for it but to give us an example of things that we also would have to face to ensure that break through that no man can challenge. Jesus’ ministry was all about glorifying the Father. His journey through the wilderness was a suppression of his will to yet again show that not by power and not by might. His ministry took off after this and wow(no more words)!
I thought of Paul( who was once Saul). He had to go through a process,he had to have his name changed; he had to become blind so that he could see; God had to break down the walls of his pride and education to bring out the humble shepherd. He had to go through his wilderness!
So as I collapsed into the couch with so much worry of what was in store for my future, I told God “please take me through the wilderness”.
The wilderness is something we go through not because God is punishing us( well the Israelite’s were actually punished) but it is a process which we must go through so that we can actually face the greatest points in our life. It’s a breaking point not to discourage us but to break our pride and leave us trusting in God. We all feel there are things we are entitled to. There are times we feel things must just work for us. Every challenge and every trial we face is a process to overcome so that we have a stepping stone to a new level.

We all have to go through it sometime so that we can emerge victorious and strong when we come out on the other side.

You may not know when it comes because definitely it won’t be physical hips of sand, scorching sun and no water- but in all things:

L: listen

L: learn

T: trust

O: obey

L: love

None other but the author and the finisher of your faith.