Wilderness.Blog.I

I have been reading a book lately about finding God and yourself in the wilderness. I decided to keep a highlighter handy because I have a bad memory and for study purposes, decided it would be good to have some stuff colored for quick reference. I thought I was bad at highlighting at first because the intro was covered in bright yellow. The points that were introduced were just straight money, I couldn’t not highlight some of them. It is refreshing to read those because I feel like a lot of times I think things but really wouldn’t be able to tell someone what I am feeling and these kinds of points sum up my airy thoughts. To sum it all up though, the general point that this book wants to get across is that God is found in the wilderness, whatever wilderness that may be. Wilderness isn’t necessarily vacant, remote places in nature but it could be times or places or situations in ones life where it might as well be remote and you feel as if you are alone, ultimately seeking God out because he is the only thing you have in this wilderness, Its beautiful really.

One of the first points about wilderness made in the book is the idea that wilderness stretches our physical and spiritual boundaries, opening us up to the possibility of change. For me, it is knowing that I am away from all that is safe is pure wilderness. God definitely speaks in the wilderness. The story of John the Baptist comes to mind when I think of how God spoke in the wilderness. John wasn’t a normal guy, by social standards. He ate locusts and sported camel...prehistoric Bear Gryllis for sure. But God used him as his prophet, but not on the busy street corner of Jerusalem but out in the wild where it very well could be dangerous. He wasn’t your typical prophet of the times but that was the way God made it. Wilderness draws everything out of you that you may not know you have. It can pull emotions from deep within you, sometimes without you really realizing it but it is because in this state, you...have...nothing...else. That is how I feel sometimes, even in urban wilderness. I sit alone and just feel like I have nothing at that moment but God. It is an eerie feeling that I cant describe but only attempt to relate.

Next, a point that stuck out to me was the idea that in the wilderness you must be in the present. You cannot worry about what will happen at night because too much is at stake, too much to risk, too many possibilities that could occur before that time. You must always be alert as the what is going on in the current moment. I struggle with this because I believe God gives many opportunities and chances to people but so many are missed because people live for tomorrow, which is what I tend to do. I look ahead but don’t take into consideration what God has put on my plate for the very moment. His divine moment is hanging in front of my yet I impatiently move it aside for what I believe is more important...usually, distant. I find myself looking for some great experience and all the while that I look for that, I miss out on the beauty that God has given. I want to seek out a giant waterfall, or massive cliffs, or a rare animal when God has hidden them with his glory, yet I do not notice. All that He has created gets overlooked by my anxiety to look ahead and not slow down and take in the majesty that is all around me. I am not in the present, I am not taking into account what is going on right now and what divine moment God has put in front of me for the time being.

Another good point that I can relate to is this: When one finds themselves in a potentially uncomfortable or unpredictable place, God is put into a new perspective because He is all that you have. In the western culture today, the vast majority of people are control freaks and must be in control at all times. It is the moments when we stand over the edge or stand alone in our personal wilderness that we realize we must let go. As much as we thrive to control what goes on, God shows us that it isn’t possible and we must, at some point in the process of finding ourselves, let go. It is in these moments that a God that so many times we neglect is the only thing we know we have. The vastness is exposed to us in its entirety for we are at a point that is a true wilderness: not in control. For many, they have never experienced that and in turn have never truly experienced God. How can you say that you have experienced God from a comfortable bed and a happy go lucky life. You must be stripped to experience the fullness that he offers, because it is too easy to settle for a comfortable faith. A quote from CS Lewis’ Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe says it perfect: Peter asks Mr Beaver if Aslan the Lion “is safe.” Mr Beaver responds: “’course he isn’t safe...but he’s good. He’s the king.” I currently look to that quote as a foundation for my faith. Nothing about Jesus ministry was safe. He was killed due to it, if that tells you anything. Numerous people throughout history have followed him to martyrdom, a true testament to how precious this is. But it all must start with a renewal. That renewal must come in a place of wilderness and I say it again we must be stripped of all we know and experience God in his rawest form. In my opinion, nature. We must go out and experience God on his stage.

The wilderness demands us to push the limits, whether physically, emotionally, or mentally. Ultimately, by pushing these limits, the limit of our spirituality is tugged at and it begs to be drawn out more. It needs to be drawn out. When you have nothing left, when you are afraid and when your mind simply wants to quit, all you have is the spiritual because it is not of your nature and therefore doesn’t quit as do all your other earthly natures. Our comfort zone must be breached to allow any sort of transformation. A guide for this apparent need comes from Jesus himself. The gospels constantly talked of Him retreating to spend time in prayer. His 40 days in the wilderness is a prime example that we must get away, we must regain focus and we must be enlightened. You don’t have to go into nature and see how pretty everything looks because unfortunately some people just don’t have it in them to enjoy God’s oldest and most raw creation. It is simply the isolation from what we know, stepping away from the usual to allow change to happen. It is my personal opinion that pushing your bodily limits will allow to become vulnerable which is crucial. Vulnerability is the start of openness, which leads to reflection and can catapult a person to acceptance and realization.

There is so much to be said about God and his utilization of his creation in the lives of humans and I think some of these points can truly act as catalysts for many lives that are broken or are in need of something more. I will stop and say this is my first segment on Wilderness. I will attempt to discuss this same topic on a more personal level, sharing experiences and adventures that I have had that have shaped my view on the importance of God’s wilderness in the development of faith.