My professor, Dr. Ron Hall, talked about wilderness seasons when “Life is hard, and God is not there.” Have you found yourself in one of those seasons?
Throughout the Bible, we encounter individuals who have these seasons. The whole book of Job describes this experience. The Psalmists offer prayers that relate to the human experience. The Old Testament walks us through the Israelites through Egypt, wilderness, and Promised Land with missed expectations.
Read the scripture and does not take long when a person asks or hints at, “God, where are you?”
High school in the early 2000s brought a minor trend of what some might call ska or alternative music. The OC Supertones were one of those bands that my friends blared.
I came across a song called Wilderness. Look at the chorus below.
Have you ever held in doubt
Wilderness, OC Supertones
What this life is all about
Have you questioned all these things that seem important to us
Do you really wanna know
Or are you a little scared
You’re afraid that God is not really exactly what you’d have Him be
What should I hold to and what should I do
How do I know if anything’s true
I’m somewhere in-between Canaan and Egypt
A place called the wilderness
The line that stands out, “You’re afraid that God is not really exactly what you’d have Him be…”
For many, you have walked through a season where “Life is hard, and God is not there.” Part of this disorienting process includes disappointment with God. Our expectations of Him do not match reality.
Our major mistake becomes rushing for an immediate answer. We attempt to spiritualize a solution, or we find ourselves in the depth of cynicism.
You’re not alone.
Go beyond the Bible to people who follow Jesus, and they will tell you about a wilderness season. They speak with honesty and hope because they know Jesus has walked them through times like this in the past.
The OC Supertones remind us that perhaps our picture of Jesus does not match reality. As challenging as that may seem, we can soon discover a God more present, gracious, and sovereign than we imagine.
These wilderness seasons move us from pat answers towards an invitation to develop a spiritual depth of knowing God’s faithfulness and ultimately becoming a person who empathizes with others in similar struggles.
So today, don’t dismiss your missed expectations about God. Don’t be afraid to encounter a God that you would have Him be. It’s in these wilderness seasons we discover hope, not wishful thinking. The good news of the gospel reminds of Jesus walking through the death of the cross that would move to resurrection.
Maybe a song by the OC Supertones from the early 2000s relates to us more than we think.
What are you learning in this wilderness season? Share in the comment section below.
Photo by engin akyurt on Unsplash