The Bigger Picture
“Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert.” Isaiah 43:19
INSIGHT
One of the most common misconceptions when we start a relationship with Jesus is that life will be easier. But inevitably, we face adversity or encounter weaknesses. Then, an important decision must be made: do we keep going or get out? Unfortunately, some people walk away from their relationship with Jesus due to their unmet expectations.
So, what enables others to continue and grow in their faith amid struggles?
They see the bigger picture that Jesus never promised an easier life. When He walked on the earth, He never lived one. Jesus had no imperfections, but life was not easy for Him. It reached its peak with a lonely and humiliating death on a cross. Ultimately, victory emerged from the depth of despair, and every follower of Christ celebrates this incredible victory.
We use the term wilderness to describe a tough season we may be walking through in life, and it is an appropriate description. Wilderness tends to be vast, lonely, tiring, and desolate. Hope seems to be so far away when we are in the middle of the wilderness.
Victory on the cross required Jesus to journey through His own wilderness. The same holds for us. These words may not land easily because they remove our ability to escape the wilderness. Yet there is beauty when we find ourselves there.
Ask yourself: what do you desire the most when everything else gets stripped away? The wilderness takes from us to make room for something new and something greater. The Spirit led Jesus into the wilderness to face the enemy’s temptation. At every turn, the enemy enticed Jesus with something that would cost Him His purpose if he gave in to the devil’s offer. Time and time again, Jesus overcame temptation with the new and greater thing that was before Him - saving humanity. Jesus would not let anything keep Him from fulfilling His purpose.
After 40 days, Jesus made it out of the wilderness by taking it one step at a time. We are quick to underestimate the value that exists in a single step of faith. I have watched people give up on their dreams because it didn’t get realized right away or according to their timeframe. But a step, no matter how small, is a step in the right direction.
Jesus made a way through the wilderness, and He does the same for us. The beauty of the wilderness is not that we can be removed from it, but that we never go through it alone. He faced it and is by our side when we encounter it. Just like Jesus, we make it through the wilderness one step at a time. When you feel the wilderness taking a toll on your heart and soul, remember that Jesus is making something new out of it. The wilderness is not about getting out, rather it is about who we walk with in the middle of it.
REFECTION
Who or what do you turn to when you have everything stripped away?
How can you walk through the wilderness knowing Jesus is with you every step of the way?
PRAYER
Father, You never promised that things would get easier, but You promised to be with me through it all. I find strength in knowing that I never face this life alone, and even in the most desolate of places, Your presence comforts me. I pray that I live in a way that shows others You are with me, and You will be with them. Thank You for being so present Father, and I pray this in Your name, Amen.
Port City writer Davy Nance wrote today’s devotional.
