How To Overcome: Going Through The Wilderness

I heard some great news this week. I got a job for when I graduate! All the worrying and fear was for nothing(which I already knew). I am going to be working full time as a campus evangelist on the CSU campus with my church. It is such an incredible opportunity and I cannot wait to begin meeting young women who want to know more about having a relationship with God and studying the bible. This is definitely not what I saw for myself when I came to college, but I could not be more thrilled and excited for it.

Growing up I always had dreams and aspirations of becoming famous or making a ton of money or doing something extravagant. It was all about ME. It was “I want to do this” and “I want to be like that”, I never once took a step back and thought “What does God want me to do?” Granted, I wasn’t even a Christian at that point, but I know that all the things I wanted to be were selfish. I wanted to be the best. I didn’t care about what that meant I had to do to other people, they were not my concern. Thankfully, God completely changed my heart when I gave my life to Him. The selfishness and greediness slowly started fading and one day I just didn’t want to be those things anymore. I didn’t care about being rich or famous, I just wanted what God had in store for me. So, I began to ask Him what He wanted me to do.

The more I prayed about it, the more I really felt called to go into the ministry and help other people. Initially, the idea of it didn’t exactly appeal to me. I remember when I first started thinking that was what God wanted me to do, I prayed and prayed asking Him to give me any other job in the world but that one. I didn’t want to do it. But as time went on and I softened my heart towards His desires, I simply prayed that He would change my heart and give me a desire to do that. Well, sure enough, He did. Suddenly, there was nothing more I wanted for my future. I couldn’t wait to someday go into the ministry. My mind totally transformed, but it was only after I came to a place of complete surrender.

Anyways, I found out a while back that it might not be an option for me to go into the ministry right after I graduated. That is when the worrying began. I went from not wanting to do that job at all, to wanting it so bad it almost hurt. Not knowing what was going to happen was hard. But I knew that God had promised me that I would one day go into the ministry so I was willing to wait if that was His plan. This period of waiting was actually one of the best things that has really ever happened to me. It changed me and it also brought out a lot of bad things that were inside of me(such as mistrust in God and fear). Had I not gone through that experience, I might not have been able to see as quickly the areas in my life that need changing.

See, that is exactly what God does often times. He brings us through trials and tribulations to expose what is in us. Another word for this is called “the wilderness” which the bible refers to often. When one goes through the “wilderness” it is a time of spiritual dryness or trial. When you are going through it, it can often be tough and uncomfortable. It happens to all of us. Think back in your life to times that were particularly tough. When you are going through the wilderness, you can have two responses. One, you can become overwhelmed or upset and completely give up, or two, you can be thankful that God is brining you through this(because the bible says He doesn’t give us anything we cannot handle(1Cor.10:1-13) and that He is maturing you in the process.

Philippians 1:6 says this: “For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus”. This is one of my very favorite verses in the bible. I cannot tell you how many times I’ve read it. What is means to me is that what God started in us He will finish. He will never leave us just the way we are, or take us through a tough time and not bring us out on the other side, better and stronger for it. That is something that we can all cling to when we are “in the wilderness”. We can stand in confidence knowing that He will finish the good work in us that He started. I know this happened for me, and it will for you too. If you are going through the wilderness, be encouraged that God is doing a wonderful work in you right now. He is strengthening, maturing, and delivering you. You will come out better because of it. Don’t give up when you face trials, know that it will all be okay. God loves you. The bible also says that the Lord loves who He reproves(or disciplines), meaning that if He is changing you or “disciplining” you in some sort of way, it is because He loves you. He wants the best for all of us. I hope that all of you will understand that and believe it for your own life.

Here is a video of Hillsong singing one of my favorite songs. It is called “Mighty to Save”. It’s awesome and the lyrics are amazing and so true. Watch it, and have a wonderful weekend!

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