Dessert (notice the 2 s's) is normally something sweet after a main course, and I am more than able to navigate dessert.
I am talking about navigating your desert. In particular that sense, feeling, spiritual space, where your current journey feels like you are wandering through some sort of dry wasteland. Your spiritual desert.
And in the spirit of honesty, maybe you are like me, and have found this current season to easily be categorised like that. A journey that seems dry, maybe devoid of life sometimes, even with a dash of hopelessness?
I have been thinking about this recently and considering many aspects both natural and spiritual around the concept.
Have even found myself researching what real deserts are like to be lost in. Even recalling the many stories and accounts I have come across in scripture on the same topic.
With all that in mind I wanted to get some help and encouragement for myself, which then leads to me wanting to share my discoveries with you in the hope that you might find this interesting and indeed helpful?
Here are some interesting little facts about deserts?
33% of the worlds ground area is apparently desert. 20% of Australia is classified as desert.
Don't eat the cactus unless you know which one you are dealing with, some will give you diarrhoea which is not helpful while you potentially a little dehydration.
I recognise fully that being in this dry place is scary, has the unknown of how long, and can feel to many very isolating. Please know others feel the same as you...
Below I have a few points for you to consider if your current season could be considered something akin to a desert.
Your desert is not your destination
A desert time, a dry time in lifes journey is just a season.
I have found I need to remind myself of that over and over again. Remind myself that at some point, even if I don't know exactly when, that how I feel and see my life now will not be the case at some point.
I take some encouragement from others who have journeyed through this time because they all came out the other side. You will as well!
It is normal to be tempted to give up
One of the most key moments of Jesus life was a time in the desert.
His experience was pretty extreme to say the least. 40 days of being hungry. Plus He was tempted on multiple occasions to give up. This devil fella turns up and tries to convince Him to give up on the dream He has for life once the desert time is over.
Maybe it is part of the whole "when will this be over?" vibe we wrestle with?
But don't give up even if you feel mega tempted to.
Giving up yes would bring relief for a moment, but it also could bring regret for a lifetime.
Desert time could be your preparation time
Can I reference Jesus another time in regards to this?
Many marvel at Jesus ministry on earth, how He healed and made whole, how He challenged and inspired with amazing words and ideas. But none of that happened until after the desert...
So maybe His desert experience wasn't just a blip on his life journey but more of a preparation for what was to come. That could be the very same for you my friend? Your desert experience could be preparing you for something better than what you had, did, or experienced before it began? So I guess not giving up part way through becomes even more important?
Finally...
I think it important to remind ourselves that being in a desert time is not a reflection of a lack of character, spiritual maturity, talent or more. It is part of life as difficult and many times unwanted as it is.
Your desert is not your destination.
Don't give up or give in to temptation.
And let it prepare you a for new season in life.
Something to think about...
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