Finding Your Way Out of the Desert

One of my favorite television shows is Man vs. Wild, an ingenious reality show that attempts to show you how to survive in any number of hostile environments—from the Costa Rican rainforest to the Alaskan frontier to a wide array of desert locations.

The host is an aptly named British gentleman named Bear Grylls, who parachutes into these remote locations, and spends a great deal of time running from, yes, bears, lions, and elephants. In fact, there is only one thing he spends more time doing—and that is looking for water.

In a recent show (at this point any of you who have weak stomachs need to scroll past this paragraph) Bear was so desperate for hydration that he actually picked a large chunk of elephant dung, squeezed it and drank the juice he squeezed from it to allow him to proceed on his journey somewhere in Kenya. I don’t think I have ever been THAT thirsty.

I do understand that this is reality television and reality is often the furthest thing you might see on the 186 channels of media in your home, but that has to be most disgusting thing I have ever seen in the reality genre.

Here is the point: Have you ever spent any time in the Christ-followers version of the desert, where you seem to hear nothing from God, where you yearn for His voice, His guidance and you are thirsting for anything from Him that might point you out of the desert?

I have lived in this desert for the past three months while I have been coming off a series of medical problems that left me crying out to Jesus regularly at 3:48 a.m., pleading for answers. All I seemed to hear from God was a great deal of silence that made me question every area of my faith and life.

There is still plenty of sand in my shorts and my mouth is still dry. But I am slowly emerging from this arid place and have learned quite a bit in this highly distasteful period in my life. My prayer is that some of this will be helpful to you, as a leader, who may be enduring the desert right now.

When you suffer through silence, it puts you more closely in touch with Jesus Christ—which is essential learning for all of us.

When you study the life of Jesus, you realize he spent plenty of time in the literal and figurative desert. He was isolated on the cross by the consequences of our sin, he was isolated in the desert when he was tempted by Satan, and he was often isolated by the hatred of the very people He came to save. He was isolated by the lack of understanding of His disciples as he tried to prepare them for ministry.

We all need to understand in some small way what Jesus endured to give us forgiveness and life. Time in the desert gives us a tiny glimpse of what that suffering might have been like.

When you don’t hear God’s voice, it’s a good idea to go back to His Word to pick up the signal again—even if it takes a while to tune in.

Luke 4 recounts Jesus’ temptation in the wilderness, where he successfully fought off Satan’s advances toward Him by relying on the Word of God. While we don’t know for sure, it seems that this time of testing was all about Jesus’ reliance and subsistence on God’s Word. The struggle became so tough for me for a while that I found myself abandoning the Bible when I needed it the most. Most of us don’t have all of the promises of God memorized so that we can recite them when we hit the desert. So, you’ve got to commit to open the Bible daily and meditate on its truth when you’re walking through the desert.

When you don’t hear from God, make sure you haven’t inserted your own ear plugs.

I heard a great word from a musician last week, and it came from Revelation 2:2-5:

I know your works, your labor, and your endurance, and that you cannot tolerate evil. You have tested those who call themselves apostles and are not, and you have found them to be liars. You also possess endurance and have tolerated [many things]* because of My name, and have not grown weary. But I have this against you: you have abandoned the love [you had]* at first. Remember then how far you have fallen; repent, and do the works you did at first. Otherwise, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place—unless you repent.”

Rev 2:2-5, Holman Christian Standard Bible

When you’re a leader in the church, there is great temptation to dwell on your activities and not on the subject of your activities—your first love, Jesus Christ our Lord. Sometimes, sin keeps you from hearing from God. Sometimes, focusing on the rat race of ministry and meetings instead of our Savior does the same thing. Either one can deafen you to God’s voice. Unplug your schedule and your stuff. Plug into your first love.

Walk through the desert with your friends.

I am a stubborn, old-school, grin-and-bear-it type male who tends to gravitate toward the Arnold Schwarzenegger/Bruce Willis/John Wayne school of manhood which roughly states: Have a problem? Don’t whine about it. You’re injured? Tape it up, or cut it off—and go. Struggling spiritually? Put on the ashes and sackcloth and fix it yourself.

I know this philosophy is ridiculous, but how many of you try to practice it like I do? Yes, your friends have troubles and their time is precious. But if they are real, genuine, serious followers of Christ, they will come to your aid when you call. So, call and let them encourage you, love you and walk with you as you make your hike through the desert.

You are going to make it. Perhaps you will even make Bear Grylls proud.