When the Wilderness Feels Harder Than Before
Be encouraged by today’s Scripture reflection and prayer.
Today's Scripture
Numbers 20:5–6 (KJV)
“And wherefore have ye made us to come up out of Egypt, to bring us in unto this evil place? it is no place of seed, or of figs, or of vines, or of pomegranates; neither is there any water to drink. And Moses and Aaron went from the presence of the assembly unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, and they fell upon their faces: and the glory of the Lord appeared unto them.”
Reflection
What happens when where you are now looks worse than where you were before?
A couple of things can happen. You can complain, because in your mind, maybe it was not all that bad. You can begin to fear, because you cannot see how things are going to get better. Or you can become a little cynical and start to believe that maybe it is never going to get better.
Truthfully, I have been in all three places.
Sometimes when I read about the Hebrew people in the wilderness, I catch glimpses of myself. I am not walking through a literal desert on the way to a land I cannot fully see, but in a greater sense, I have had my own wilderness moments. And maybe you have too.
It can look like a relationship that does not seem to be getting better. Or not having what you need and wondering how things are going to work out. Or just one trouble after another, where it feels like there is no break in between.
And in those moments, it is easy to start thinking, “Was I better off before?”
That is exactly what we see in Book of Numbers 20:5–6. The people looked at where they were and began to complain. To them, this place felt worse. It felt dry, uncomfortable, and uncertain.
And instead of bringing that frustration to God, they spoke against Him.
But what stands out to me is not just what they did, but what Moses and Aaron did. When everything around them was loud with complaints, they went and fell before the Lord.
That difference matters.
Because the wilderness will reveal something. It will show what is in our hearts, and it will also show us where we go when things feel hard.
The truth is, we often want to skip this part. We want to go from where we are straight into the promise. We want to fly over the wilderness and arrive at something better without having to walk through what feels uncomfortable.
But there are things that are only built in the wilderness.
It is in those difficult places that relationships are strengthened. It is in moments of lack that trust begins to grow. It is through trials that something in us is being refined.
We may not always see it in the moment, but God is not absent in the wilderness. He is working in it.
Today's Prayer
Lord, I thank You that even in the wilderness, You are still present.
There are times when where I am feels harder than where I have been, and I can feel that pull to complain, to fear, or to lose hope. Help me to recognize those moments and not stay there.
Teach me to come to You instead of letting my thoughts run ahead of me. When things feel uncertain or uncomfortable, remind me that You are still working, even when I cannot see it.
Strengthen my trust in You. Help me not to look back with a distorted view of the past, but to keep my eyes on You.
And as I walk through these difficult places, shape me, grow me, and refine me into what You are calling me to be.
In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Before You Go
If you find yourself in a place right now where things feel harder than they used to, you are not alone in that feeling. It is a real place, and it can be a difficult one.
But this is also a place where something is being formed. It is easy to want to escape it, to wish things would just change, or to look back and think things were better before. But the wilderness is not without purpose.
Sometimes the very things we want to avoid are the places where God is doing some of His deepest work. Strong relationships are not built without walking through difficulty. Trust is not formed without moments of uncertainty. And faith is not strengthened without something that stretches it.
So instead of only asking how to get out of it, take a moment to ask what God may be doing in it. And when it feels overwhelming, follow the example we see here. Go to Him. Bring it to Him. Through Jesus, we have access to the Father, and we are not walking through these moments alone.
Because even in the wilderness, the presence of the Lord is still there.
Don’t worry—you can still catch up and be encouraged today.
Called to Holiness
