My Wilderness, My Victory

Have you ever gone through something and felt like you were on an island all by your lonesome? It’s even worse when it feels like you are surrounded by others but they just don’t understand what you are experiencing. I’ve been thinking about this in terms of situations we may face in our daily lives. To put it in simple terms, getting a paper cut is not a “new” thing. People have probably been experiencing paper cuts since paper was invented! The fact that millions of other people have endured it doesn’t diminish your personal experience with it. That is the story of our faith journey. These storms have been rolling for generation after generation. Many before have experienced pain, suffering, loneliness, and any other “issue” you can name. The fact that the issue isn’t new doesn’t mean it’s not new to us.

I recently listened to a sermon where the minister spoke about the impact of our personal stories. Our personal faith experience is paramount to our growth. The more “encounters” we have that challenge our faith, the more confident we become each time we overcome. It puts us in a position where our faith is growing stronger and we are less intimidated by obstacles or challenges to it. If we never experience a trial or a test, then the odds are greater that we will lack confidence in whatever we previously learned. In school, that is the purpose of the tests and exams we’d endure. Many of us probably had a test or two that we hated. But they were opportunities to expose our strengths and our areas of growth. The same applies to our faith. If it’s never put to the test, then are we ever really sure that we have more than a measure?

One of the things that always strikes me while reading the story of Jonah is the isolation he must have felt while he was in the belly of the fish. It was a true wilderness experience for him. He wasn’t in the belly with his crew or his family. By all accounts, he was in there alone. Speaking of a faith test, the wilderness experience and that feeling of isolation is definitely up there. However, this is also a opportunity for our faith to begin increasing. Each giant slain, every mountain moved, every sea parted. Whatever the obstacle that God choses to reveal to you that you are not alone and he’s right there with you is a stepping stone for your growing faith. 

When we establish relationships with one another, our confidence and our trust in one another either grows or diminishes. If you fail me every step of the way, then I’m not going to have confidence relying on you in the future. However, if you come through time after time, then my trust in you increases. This is the power of our witness, our testimony of Jesus in our lives. The more that we experience him, the greater is our assurance that he will always come through. A firsthand account is so vital here. It’s one thing to share what I heard. It’s a whole different story to share my experience. 

Even if we are in a wilderness experience right now, we can gain encouragement from none other than Jesus himself when he went through. The example that we have is the encouragement the word of God provides. Not only does it silence the enemy, but if those doubts are worries are creeping up in you, it’s as good a time as any to remind yourself of God’s promises. 

Stay Sunny!

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