A Word in the Wilderness

And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:7, ESV).

I’ve recently been spending some time studying the Gospel of Luke as I work my way through a Kristi McLelland Bible study called Luke in the Land. One of the recent snapshots I studied is about the concept called “davar in the midbar,” which is translated from Hebrew to mean “a word in the wilderness.”

In a Biblical sense, a wilderness season is considered any period of time where there is significant struggle, and suffering with an inability to immediately remove oneself from the situation. There are many wilderness stories from the Bible–Moses and the Israelites, and Elijah to name a few. One of the beautiful things about the Word of God is that it reflects experiences we continue to have today.

I walked through a wilderness season nearly a decade ago. Changes in my job, a move, some health issues, and most of all, a broken friendship, led me to a place of confusion, and fear, but ultimately discovery. Our most difficult times are when the Lord meets us with a Word that, even though it won’t necessarily remove us from our situation, it will guide and carry us through.

As I reflect back upon that really difficult period of time in my life, I am able to process it with profound gratitude. God was so good to guide me to seek professional counsel through the Church. He surrounded me with a body of believers who spoke truth into my life. His Word in Philippians 4:7 reminded me of peace that only He can bring, regardless of our circumstances:

“And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

Maybe you find yourself in a wilderness season right now. You’re lost. You feel alone. It seems as if this feeling of a broken heart will never heal. You’re living paycheck to paycheck asking God to provide. Whatever it may be, I am praying for you today.

Even if you don’t know what to say, talk to God. Even if it feels uncomfortable, reach out to someone around you that loves you. Even if you’re scared, seek professional counsel from someone who will direct you back to the truth of God’s Word.

Open your heart to the Lord as you’re walking through the wilderness today. There is no guarantee He will rescue you from your circumstances immediately, but I can promise you that He will be your strength when you have none. And if you’re patient, prayerful, and persistent, God will provide your “davar in the midbar”, just like He did for Moses, Elijah, and me.