Wilderness

We have begun our wilderness time – our forty days of Lent.

I’ve always been intrigued by the theme of wilderness. Moses led the Israelites through the wilderness for 40 years. Jesus spent forty days in the wilderness, where Satan tempted Him, but He did not yield.

A wilderness is a barren place, a place of difficulty and challenges from which we can deepen our faith. All of us experience wilderness times, periods of struggle and uncertainty. Often from this darkness, we discover more about ourselves. We discover the light.

Many, many years ago I was wounded by a church event, disillusioned that church friends could be so unloving to others. Even though I had prayed for a miracle for God to show these members compassion and kindness, the miracle I wanted didn’t happen. Division happened; lives were devastated.

I suppose this was a powerful wilderness time for me, knowing my faith would carry me through, but feeling oh so very low and sad that I was unable to heal the breach. (Silly me, God heals, not me!!!)

That year, on a trip to California, I decided to visit the Nixon Presidential Library. How surprised I was that in the video, Richard Nixon (a Quaker) confessed that he had traveled through the wilderness, a very dark time (Watergate). By chance, I also visited the Crystal Cathedral where I heard Robert Schuller tell a group of church leaders of his wilderness time when he was wounded deeply by the Church. My oh my…that Holy Spirit works in mysterious ways. For Nixon and for Schuller they acknowledged the pain and suffering of the wilderness, but for both their faith grew deeper and stronger.

After a few years, God’s miracle did happen for me. I reconciled with an old friend who had been my adversary in that ugly church event. Others came to me and apologized for how they behaved during that unpleasant time. Light began to shine from that dark time.

The Center for Action and Contemplation Meditation for February 26, 2026 notes: “You see, the wilderness is a season not a location. And like the healing of wounds, or the becoming of a butterfly, the wilderness journey is a process, not an event.” We have to travel through it. We are often stronger because of it.

The Lord comforts us in our wilderness and brings hope from despair:

“For the Lord will comfort Zion, … and will make her wilderness like Eden, …joy and gladness will be found in her, thanksgiving and the voice of song.” (Isaiah 51:3, NRSV)

Lenten Blessings, Judy Q