By Ann Weaver.
There are times in our lives that feel like dark alleys. When everything is dark and we don’t know when the end will come–or if there even is an end to a difficult season. Then there are times that are like standing on a mountain peak, when we can see how far we have come and experience the elation of being on top of the world. There are giddy, adventurous times like skydiving, calm, peaceful times like sitting by a gentle river, and strength building times like climbing many stairs.
There are also times when life is like a desert. Not only is it dry and unexciting–it also feels like there is nowhere to turn. No place to go. No end goal in sight. It feels dead, as if there is no reason to be there in the first place. At least even the dark alleys and stair climbing times helped us grow in the Lord. During the desert times, nothing is happening besides the daily grind. We may not feel angry or depressed, but we’re not feeling joyful or refreshed either. Nothing feels truly alive–even our walk with Christ.
Despite our feelings, we have to remind ourselves of the truth: with God, there are no dead ends. No times without a purpose. No deserts that are truly dry and dead. Just like real deserts, there is always some source of water to be found.
How can we find that source of life and motivation? We must first realize that God knows why we’re in the desert, even if we don’t. Even if it feels like he’s not there, we have to remind ourselves that He promised to be there no matter what. As we are told in Deuteronomy 31:8, “The Lord is the one who goes ahead of you; He will be with you. He will not fail you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed.” Our feelings don’t dictate the truth of His presence.
This does not mean we don’t need to seek closeness with Him when our relationships seems distant. In fact, we may feel far from God because our relationship with Him has not been our top priority. Just like our relationships with friends and family will feel distant if we stop having meaningful conversations with them, our relationship with Christ will feel distant if we don’t make it a priority to spend special time with Him and His Word.
This desert season may also be a result of resisting God’s plans for our lives. Perhaps He has been urging us to do–or not do–something, but we’ve disobeyed. We may have shut our ears to His promptings, wishing to follow our will instead of His. This damages our relationship with the Lord and can make something feel wrong in our lives, though we may not be able to actually name what feels so misaligned.
Another cause of this season may be that we’re focusing too much on ourselves in general. Often, if we continue to focus on how difficult life feels for us, our perception of how hard it is will grow.
When we’re solely focused on our own goals and aspirations and how we are making no progress, we forget to look at others and minister to them. Taking our eyes off ourselves and changing our perspective to one of consideration for others can balance our views. This doesn’t mean we forget about our own lives and seek God’s will in that way–but it does mean that we stop thinking solely or mainly of our own thoughts, difficulties, and dry spots.
Though it may feel as if we have no way to “water” someone else’s lives when ours are so dry, it’s wonderful to see how it can help us once we begin to help others. After all, water evaporation must happen before clouds begin to form again, and caring for others may help you even more than it helps them.
It may seem like this desert will go on for months or even years. Perhaps it will. It likely felt that way to Moses, as he waited in the wilderness for forty years, or to Joseph, as he sat in prison during the prime of his life. But as we see in their stories, that time was a period of growth for them. God was still working behind the scenes, though there was no way for them to know it then.
If you feel as if you’re in a dry season, spend more time with the Lord and read His Word. Pray and submit yourself to His will. Look for ways to help others and bless them. It may take a long time, but one day, you’ll look up and see that you’ve crossed into a lovely garden of blessings.
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