Seasons of Wilderness
Written by: Caleb Schluep
Read Psalm 63.
When was the last time you experienced wilderness? This could be metaphorical wilderness, or it could be a literal wilderness space. What was it like? My guess is that it was hard but worth it. Psalm 63 was written by David in a season when he was living in the literal wilderness. His description of thirsting for the Lord is something that I resonate with. As we study scripture, we see the theme of wilderness come up frequently. Wilderness plays a significant role in the stories of people like Moses, Elijah, David, John the Baptist, and Jesus. Wilderness is used as a place of preparation, of safety, of waiting, and of connection with God. As someone who leads people into the wilderness and teaches them to thrive in that environment, I can testify that wilderness is not a fun place to be all the time. It can be quite brutal. Hiking in boots that are so frozen that you can’t tie them until they thaw from your body heat loosening them up for an hour is not fun, but it is good. Wilderness strips away comforts and forms us through prating simplicity, solitude, and silence.
I have led many groups into the wilderness now. Every trip is hard. I know those who dare to join me on these trips don’t always want to be out in the cold or blistering heat under the weight of the backpacks that we carry. Once we return from trips, there is generally an attitude of thankfulness that we are home. We sit back and recover from the toll that the wilderness takes on our bodies, and we enjoy comforts like showers and soft beds, but without fail, a few months after a trip people start planning their next one. People that I have led who have suffered the most in the wilderness are often the first ones to be drawn back in. I have watched former students choose to take family members on trips, go on solo trips, and even seek leading trips! It is almost like the more you dwell in the wilderness the more you crave it. If wilderness is where we dwell in the creation of the creator and are welcomed into genuine incarnate experiences with those around us, it is only natural that we would find ourselves drawn back in. After all, we are created for intimate relationships with God, and I can’t think of a space where I encounter him more than in the wilderness.
The season of Lent in many ways serves the same role as a wilderness experience. It is a season of subtraction for many through fasting. It is a time of introspection and of lamenting the brokenness of sin in the world, and it is an opportunity to reorient back towards Christ. How are you taking advantage of this wilderness season of Lent this year? Do you find yourself dwelling with God in this season of subtraction? I challenge you to take intentional time to embrace the wilderness and allow for an encounter with the living God.