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 WILDERNESS TRAIL A Trail of Enlightenment, Encouragement and Illumination Latest edition September 23, 2007  Welcome, Hiker, to the Wilderness Trail ! You're about to embark on a enlightening journey into the wilderness areas of your own life. There are a minimum of seven wilderness areas that each of us will encounter during our lifetime. The time spent in these areas can be as short as three days, or as long as forty years. Some have been known to spend almost their entire lifetime wandering in the wilderness... Wilderness wanderings are the times in our life when God brings about circumstances or events to discipline and train us for better things, namely, to accomplish His earthly purpose for us according to His will. These wanderings are always the difficult times of our lives, which may or may not come about by our own choice; the wilderness of failure, the wilderness of doubt, the wilderness of affliction, the wilderness of fear, the wilderness of despair, the wilderness of loneliness, and the wilderness of anxiety. We will be taking several day hikes (perhaps a few nighttime ones as well) into this vast, wilderness country of our lives. These particular hikes will help you to understand the absolute necessity for your wilderness wanderings, as well as serve to better equip you in facing and dealing with them. The only requirement for this most important journey is courage. Are you ready? Then grab your hiking staff and let's head out...
Failure Peak is cold. Winter stays long this high. From here you can see most all of the other wilderness areas; their crags, their canyons, their thick forests and their regions of parched desolation. These wilderness areas don't appear too inviting when you're on failure's peak, but it all depends on how your eyes look at things. One can actually see beauty in all these areas when looking through the eyes of understanding. Riding out the storms sent your way is indeed a humbling yet remarkable learning experience... God has said: And you shall remember all the way which the Lord your God has led you in the wilderness these forty years, that He might humble you, testing you, to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep His commandments or not. (Deuteronomy 8:2) The whirlwind of the wilderness is a time when we learn to take God seriously. He means what He says. We know that failure has many forms and magnitudes. It can be devastating to one's emotional well-being. It can result in a long time spent in the wilderness. It can destroy, but it can also teach, correct, and build up again. For most of us, accepting failure can be quite difficult. Within the mainstream cultural attitude of the United States, failure is a fault; a defect in one's personality or ability. But among the poor or the enlightened it's the norm. However, how we feel about failure doesn't really matter because, by God's standards, it's par for the course. Mankind is but flesh, and failure is his/her nature (Genesis 6:3, Psalm 51:5). God allows failure because that's how He gets our attention. And, we will continue to fail because we so desperately need His attention! Though we fail to truly recognize it, failure comes on a daily basis. We usually see the greater failures, but we seldom pay attention to the smaller ones. Ever think a bad thought, or say an unkind word? Both are failures. Again, it's impossible to get through a day without one. The law of God was instituted to shed light on our failures; to heighten our awareness of them and to teach us to be sensitive to them. Unfortunately, we don't usually comprehend our smaller failures until we are quite mature in age. What do we do then, when we realize that most of the good opportunities in life have gone—passed us by—when we've become bitter and filled with remorse? What do we do when the major and smaller failures come together all at once and drive us into the wilderness of despair? Failure always generates doubt. Doubt always generates fear. Fear always generates despair. Despair always generates loneliness, and loneliness always generates anxiety. Any or all of these attitudes can generate some form of affliction. It is also true that any of these attitudes can be brought on by one or the other, in any order. So, how should we respond when we find ourselves in the wilderness of failure? Consider it joy! (James 1:2) Failure is a great opportunity to commune with God. Your failure in any area of life is merely a step in the right direction. And, not every failure is necessarily a failure against God. If, for instance, you fail an employment examination, it has nothing to do with the kingdom of heaven. If you fail a driver's test, the result is the same; it has nothing to do with qualifying you for eternal life. But failure, whether against God or not, can draw you toward God in seeking an answer, a solution, or some type of comfort. In fact, failure can lead to the most important discovery of your lifetime; Without Me, (Jesus speaking of Himself) you can do nothing (John 15:5). Webster defines failure in several different ways: To prove deficient as to be totally ineffective. To be unsuccessful. To receive an academic grade below the acceptable minimum. To weaken, decline, or cease to function properly. To disappoint or prove undependable, and to omit or neglect. Any of these can motivate one to seek God. Any of these can be used by God to encourage one to seek Him. The bottom line is that failure is not a bad thing. It can be the best thing that ever happened to you. When failure dawns on your horizon, first of all, consider it normal. Consider that the purpose of your particular failure is to bring about understanding. Go to the Psalms and learn the attitudes of those who have failed before you. Some outstanding readings are Psalm 13, Psalm 25 and Psalm 139. Again, failure can be the result of God's discipline in your life. Correction leads to understanding and understanding leads to hope. Dealing with a failure in this way is dealing with it before it perhaps leads you into other wilderness areas. You can avoid the anguish of doubt and fear, the prisons of despair and loneliness, and certainly the bonds of affliction, by facing failure for what it actually is, and dealing with it accordingly and correctly. Should you have the patience to allow it to teach you all that it can, failure can be a turning point in life. To glean the most from failure is to be patient in and through each of its consequences. Satan attacks fiercely against one who fails. His goal is your ruin and ultimate destruction. Therefore, much knowledge in God and His attributes is your only hope in defeating your adversary in the area of failure, or any other wilderness area. Ten thousand human counselors cannot help you in your recovery unless their counsel is based on God's truth. Self-help based on human philosophy is also not qualified to deal with your situation. Again, only true knowledge; the knowledge of God, can help you deal with failure. So while you are atop that lofty peak of failure, seek answers and guidance from the Most High. Sit down in remoteness and quietness and read the Scriptures. Trust in God and allow Him to speak to your heart. He will not fail you. Pour out your distress before Him and confess all of your anxieties regarding your failure(s). This in itself will be great relief to your spirit. God promises that He will hear you. He also promises that He will answer you. He is the God who hears. Thank Him for His time spent with you. Look into the heavens and trust; hike down from that peak with confidence and go on with your life, in hope, for your failure was designed as part of the perfect plan for your ultimate success.
It is so easy to lose the surety of your way and wander into the Wilderness of Doubt. It borders the wilderness of fear, which can ultimately lead you into the wilderness of despair. Doubt is more common than most will admit. Some form of doubt enters our hearts on a daily basis. Some say self-doubt is the worst—I don't think so... Self-doubt is probably the best kind there is. The Scriptures themselves teach us, Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. And, The heart is deceitful above all things, and incurably sick; who can know it? (Proverbs 3:5 & Jeremiah 17:9). So then, self-doubt is a good thing, for it can lead one to the most important discovery of their lifetime; to understand their need to depend on God and not on themselves! When you have doubt in yourself, you are not timid or weak. You are not a coward or inferior in society. You are, actually a fountain; capable of spewing the waters of eternal life. Yes, words and actions that truly benefit others can flow from you—it's just that perhaps your pump needs to be primed. Take a good look at some other forms of doubt. Doubt is a result of time spent in one or more of the other six wilderness areas we are exploring. In failure, their may be doubt that you can succeed. In fear, there is the doubt that you can overcome your fears. In despair, doubt plays a major role, for all things seem indeed hopeless. In loneliness, doubt sees you as a distant or unreachable person; seemingly unable to be motivated by any good thing. In anxiety, doubt causes you to first move one way, then change course for another; susceptible to any wind that might blow. In affliction, doubt can shatter your hopes for any type of recovery. Doubt is subtle and, as you can see, works in a variety of ways. It is dangerous ground, full of predators; those spirits of unrelenting doubt who seek to devour you. In your defense and preservation, you must carry the staff of truth. Your hiking staff, like the staff of Abraham, Moses and David, can figuratively represent truth. Truth drives off and even slays doubt, like the staff of a shepherd drives off or slays the attacking wolves, bears or lions. Unfortunately doubt can cause us to not pay attention to this truth of God when we so desperately need to pay attention to it! God sends us little miracles, which we can see if we are looking for them! He asks you not to doubt that He is with you. No matter how things appear, God is in control of what is happening in your life. His eyes see everything that goes on in the world, and He deals with everything according to His will, though we may not fully, partially, or even remotely understand His way or His methods. God's will is that we glorify Him on the earth through the things He wants us to accomplish. Our own agenda is usually not His way—He remains the great guide and counsellor. On an individual basis, He will always do something out of the ordinary to assure you, in your particular situation, of His presence. He does this in group scenarios as well. It may be quite a small thing, but it will be out of the ordinary; not a normal occurrence, and most likely will take place when you are not fully expecting it. Sometimes, however, though we are surely aware of a little help, we act as if we didn't get any; we keep right on pursuing our lusts until we fall again. It is usually then that we wonder why we didn't pay attention to our little miracle—why we didn't consider and act on it accordingly at the time. But, it can also be true that you may not recognize or become aware of what He has done to help you, in any particular matter, until later on down the road of life. And, of course, some things will only be revealed after death. Walking through doubt is like making your way through a strong wind. It takes a stern look on your face, a strong will in your heart, and a firm stroke or pull of your hiking staff—all of these things—with each step you take. Only faith in God can give one this confidence. If you try to muster it (confidence) up on your own, you will fail. No matter how far into these wilderness areas that doubt has banished you, you can find your way out through your knowledge of truth. A great portion of that truth is found in these words of Scripture: We know that all things work together for the good of those who love God, who have been called according to His purpose (Romans 8:28).— So, if you carve the word "truth" on the grip of your hiking staff, or you are motivated to carve "all things work together for good", this will remind you to consider the promises of God as you hike along in your struggle with doubt. Webster defines doubt as: To be uncertain or unsure, to tend to distrust, to disbelieve. Doubt caused the crucifixion of Jesus. That's a pretty big consequence for doubt, is it not? Doubt is indeed your subtle enemy. Get hold of it before it leads you into any of the other wilderness areas. In this present world all things are uncertain or unsure. Trust is a rare find and disbelieving in anything is common to our nature. On the other hand, with God nothing is uncertain; all His promises can be fully trusted, and belief in Him can lead one to eternal life. The reality is also that no matter how much self-examination we do, only God's promises can give us the assurance that we are His beloved children and move us to overcome doubt. Believing in the one, true God will keep you out of the wilderness of doubt. That belief requires faith, which can be defined as your belief in action. Whatever God says throughout the Scriptures is true. Therefore, anything that disagrees with what His word says regarding any matter is false. That's the rule of measurement against doubt.— Hike on, my friend, with this truth along your skyline, with this understanding wind in your nose. That's putting a belief into action. That will keep you from entering the wilderness of doubt, or serve to bring you out of it before it consumes you.
The Wilderness of Affliction can indeed be a lonely and desolate place. We usually think of affliction as something physical, but it can be spiritual as well. Afflictions are basically a result of the fall at Eden, and can be magnified by one's continuing in a life of sin. Some are born with affliction while others come into affliction. No matter what, the plague of sin, in some form or another, brings about or has brought about affliction. It may not be your own sin that's the culprit, but it is the product or result of universal sin nonetheless. We must also learn that while human physical frailties are difficult for us to accept when they strike, they can be what is best for us. While we pray to be released from the effects of sickness or injury, God may know that we can serve Him better or be better off with our limitations, whether temporary or permanent. Because of the nature of the human race we are prone to affliction. There are many without physical affliction and they are indeed fortunate, but we all encounter spiritual affliction. We will live with it as long as we occupy the human body. Physical affliction however appears to us to be the worst kind. We are each saddened when we encounter someone with some type of physical affliction; a deformity, a paralysis, a disease, or a particular mental or physical disability. There are also the afflictions of poverty and hunger. Most of us would endeavor to help someone in any of these conditions, yet, we usually remain blind to spiritual affliction, which is indeed the worst type of affliction, whether within anyone else or within ourselves. Webster defines affliction as physical or mental suffering. He also uses the term "plague" or sickness. Some physical afflictions God allows to come upon us for displaying the truth of His power and authority.— In the case of a man blind from birth, Jesus disciples asked Him, "Why was this man born blind? Was it a result of his own sins or those of his parents?" Jesus answered them, "It was not because of his sins or his parents' sins, but for the purpose that the power of God could be seen in him." Jesus then displayed God's power and healed the man of his blindness (John 9:2-41). In the case of Lazarus, whom Jesus raised from the dead, He beforehand spoke of the true purpose for his illness: "This sickness will not end in death. No, it is for God's glory so that God's Son may be glorified through it." (John 11:1-44) In addition, God reminded the Apostle Paul that his own physical/spiritual weakness allowed him to trust in God's strength (2nd Corinthians 12:7-10). We can only conclude from these teachings that physical affliction can be allowed for the glory of God in one way or another. Satan of course is the author of affliction, but we can know that God uses it for His own glory. Physical afflictions are therefore much better dealt with when understood in this light. If you are afflicted physically, or know someone who is, you must consider this understanding and act accordingly; believe it, or share it, and find hope through it. Affliction causes one to pay attention to God; to live one day at a time as we should. There is purpose in all things. Faith in this understanding will lead to the enlightenment that serves to deal with the affliction and perhaps overcome it. You may not be able in this present world to physically overcome a particular affliction, but you can overcome it (i.e.: deal with it spiritually) through some correct spiritual understandings. The Psalmist has said, If Your law had not been my delight, I would have perished in my affliction (Psalm 119:92). Spiritual affliction on the other hand is of a different type than physical affliction. It is at many times not recognizable. Spiritual affliction simply means that one rejects the truth that life is directed and controlled by the human spirit; that the human spirit is subject to depravity and needs a Savior. Psychiatry and psychology won't do; for they are not founded on this spiritual truth, but a product of the reasoning of mankind and subject to grievous error. Rejection of God's truth is gross spiritual affliction. This gross affliction can be overcome by belief in God, yet, even if we believe in God, we will still be subject to other forms of spiritual affliction. This is because we will not be perfect (complete) until the Lord returns. We will in the meantime continue to suffer various forms of spiritual affliction due to our natural proneness to wander. Another reason for our various forms of spiritual affliction is our lack of faith. We may be faithful in some things, but we cannot be faithful in everything. We must depend on God's daily forgiveness to "take up the slack" in those areas in which we fall short. We are by no means within our human nature subject to the will of God and indeed cannot be (Romans 8:7)! In other words, we are prone to not obey His will. However, by acknowledging our daily failures to God we can strike a blow against this spiritual affliction. The understanding that you will always fall short spiritually does serve to keep you in a state of humility. This is a good thing. Know that a wise person indeed walks with his/her head bowed, for afflictions can come upon you at any time. Realizing your own weaknesses along with your proneness to affliction also serves to make you aware of the afflictions and weaknesses of others. It teaches you not to be so critical of others who make mistakes in life and fall into sin. Anyone is capable of anything! Mercy is a great thing. Those who learn to show mercy will obtain mercy (Matthew 5:7). When others are afflicted physically or spiritually, it is up to you to extend to them both kindness and helpfulness; as much as is within you. There are many ways to do this, as each of us are given various talents and abilities. Each person has something to offer the afflicted. The smallest gift (sacrifice) which you offer could be the gift most needed. Always take the time to try and understand how it must be to walk in another's shoes. If you have a particular physical affliction, try not to despair. As I pointed out earlier, affliction can be used for the glory of God. What you do in your affliction may serve to show others particular strength(s) that God has given you. You may be without the ability to walk, yet you may have the talent to teach or counsel. You may be without sight, but through your blindness you may learn to see further by developing great insight that will encourage others. If you cannot hear or speak, it will not stop you from becoming a productive physical servant to another or to others. If you are mentally retarded or restrained from physical activity, God can still be glorified through those who serve you. In your prayers regarding any type of personal afflictions, whether physical or spiritual, keep in mind that there is a purpose for your life—for every life. Pray that God will in your affliction reveal His purpose for you and help you to accomplish it. Ask others who pray for you to also pray that your purpose will be revealed to you. God can work through you as you submit to His will, and may, in the process of your earthly life, remove your afflictions when they have served His purpose. Do not give up because of your afflictions; endeavor to persevere. Finally, may all that is done by you or for you be done according to true faith. To God, the faith of His servants is the most pleasing thing there is.
The Wilderness of Fear is full of dark crags and steep, dangerous terrain. A young servant once said to his elderly, blind master, "Of all things, to live in darkness must be the worst." The old man wisely replied, "Fear is the only darkness." Indeed, fear, like all of Satan's works, is dark and deceptive. It takes on a variety of forms, but it is always cloaked in darkness. One cannot see through fear. That is because it blinds us to the realities of what really is, or what can actually be accomplished. It seems also to be like an impenetrable wall. Since we refuse to see beyond that wall, we often fail to get over it, around it, or through it. We usually find ourselves to have a fear of some type of failure, perhaps of loss, perhaps of pain, perhaps of heights, perhaps of closed in quarters, and of course there are a myriad of other things that we can fear. But, I believe the most destructive form of fear is the fear of man himself. This particular natural fear gives birth to many other forms of fear. By fear of man, I am referring to our natural fear of what others may think, or of how they will react to the way we think. We long naturally for the approval of others. Because of the fear of not having their approval, we wander into all sorts of calamities that take a toll on our lives. As a result we blindly follow the majority into many deceitful forms of attitude, which lead us into sin, depravity and destruction. Rather than take a stand for what is right, we become prone to follow those who approve of what is wrong. Fear of man is what causes wars among nations, who in actuality have every reason to seek peace. Fear promotes envy, jealousy, strife and hatred. Fear is always destructive, however, there is one particular form of fear which leads to understanding and life... Fear is defined by Webster in two ways; realization of danger, or reverence and awe. The second definition is usually considered as the fear of God. The Scriptures teach: The fear (reverence and awe) of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge (Proverbs 1:7). This type or form of fear is most productive and can dispel all other fears; God is our refuge and strength; an ever-present help in time of trouble. Therefore, we shall not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam, and the mountains quake with their surging (Psalm 46:1-3). To escape the wilderness of destructive fear, you must first realize that you are within its borders. Remember, fear is darkness, and you can be blind to its existence because it can masquerade as light (2nd Corinthians 11:14). Through the knowledge of God you can understand that you are capable of fear, and that you will always be plagued by some form of it. Acceptance of this truth leads to an understanding of fear as well as a respect for it. By respect, I mean that you accept it as natural, and that you deal with it according to true knowledge... Dealing with fear according to true knowledge is understanding that only an attitude which takes into consideration the many attributes of God can hope to expel fear. God is light, and in Him there is no darkness at all (1st John 1:5). An attitude that is fixed on this truth can walk through the wall of fear. This attitude can stand amidst fear when there seems to be no way out. It can dispel the surrounding darkness and allow one to walk continuously on into ever brightening light. To overcome fear is to be bold and daring in attitude. It is the sword of the Spirit and the shield of Truth that protects the one surrounded by and in battle with fear. These are the only weapons that have any hope of dispelling the darkness and deception of fear. No form of human psychiatry or psychology is as effective, for they are only temporary measures erected by men and incapable of withstanding the test of time. Fear is not (contrary to popular opinion) a human weakness encountered only by the weak. It is not something that any particular form of psychological therapy can resolve in a short time. It is instead a reality of our nature which no one escapes, no matter who they think they are. In actuality fear is a lifetime defect. In dealing with fear, reading or memorizing Scripture is the most effective. What can be more powerful than the Spirit of God? Nothing! The Spirit of God enables one to stand in the epicenter of an earthquake and not fear the outcome. It enables one to not fear the roaring of the seas, the awesome power of wind, or the crumbling of mountains. The Christian understands that these "fearful" things will happen as long as the earth exits in its present state of decay. This particular knowledge and trust in God is, again, most effective in dealing with any type of fear. When any type or form of fear overwhelms you, whether it be considered a small fear or a great fear, whether a little hurtful or life threatening, whether discomforting, devastating, or catastrophic, remember that your life is in the hands of the One who formed you. His plan for your life includes everything that happens to you. Accept that truth and fear not! Your faith in that knowledge is your hope of deliverance. Holding to this form of attitude is the only way to deal successfully with fear. No matter what happens, train your mind and learn to trust in God and not in yourself (Proverbs 3:5). This will dispel the darkness of fear.
The Wilderness of Despair can seem so endless; bleak and desolate from horizon to horizon. Despair is usually the result of a variety of consistent wilderness wanderings. When the bottom drops out of our expectations, despair is usually the result. Many of the world's population live in despair. Poverty is one of its root causes. Television and the news media for the most part cater to the so-called wealthy, but, in reality, anyone with a job is wealthy. Anyone with food and clothing is even wealthier, and anyone who owns a home is exceedingly rich! If you can look at things in this way, then it will be much easier for you to avoid the wilderness of despair; to hike right on around it toward wisdom. Remember that the mind is deceitful and therefore must be trained. To "count your blessings" are then not just words, they are an assembly of decisive thoughts that provide an excellent means of avoiding despair. When you measure your blessings against those with less, how can you even begin to despair? Webster defines despair as the complete absence of hope, or, to abandon all purpose or hope. But one can never be without hope if he/she has food and clothing. If this is all that we have we are fortunate indeed, for God has allowed us to be poor that we might become rich through the knowledge of Him. The Scriptures teach throughout the Bible that the poor have the blessing of knowing dependence upon God. Knowing ones' absolute need to depend on God is a rare find for any of us, and a multitude of understanding can come from it. It can transform your life and render you exceedingly valuable in the service of God, thereby making you rich toward Him. For the poor who do not know God, theirs is a path of desperation and destruction. But, when a poor nation turns to the one, true God, there is salvation. Unfortunately, many poor nations worship a false god. They do this because their minds have been blinded by the god of this world. They establish rituals and religions conceived by men which do not honor the God of heaven for who He truly is, and therefore suffer the consequences of their ignorance. Envy, strife, hatred and despair rule their spirits as they abandon the hope in, and search of, truth. However, God does not reject the poor who endeavor to seek him in truth. Within a nation like the United States, that is not in the mainstream of poverty, think of some of the reasons that might lead you into the wilderness of despair. A death in the family? A personal accident? Rejection by friends? A physical affliction? Unemployment? These types of despair are indeed valid, but things could be much worse. There could be despair of life itself, which those of poor and ravished nations face everyday. Again, count your blessings. Consider those in deeper despair. Take the focus off yourself and look into the eyes of truly fathomless despair, such as extreme poverty, a homeless existence, and starvation. I have personally experienced failure, a homeless existence, rejection, poverty, deep frustration and overwhelming anxiety, to name just a few despairing things, yet I have never been allowed to go without food or clothing. That's grace! I've been able to overcome the above mentioned degrees of despair by considering the less fortunate. I've also made use of being allowed the privilege to focus on meaningful things which some may take for granted; The beauty of God's earth from atop a high mountain. The way of a child with its mother. The loyalty of a puppy with its master. The sound of a rushing stream in the wilderness, and the intricate design in just a mere blade of grass. Reason to despair? I think not. Reason to rejoice? Exceedingly so! This comes through the knowledge of God and the things He has made. Woe is me can be replaced by just one moment of understanding and acceptance of the wisdom and glory and hope found in and through the Creator. Endurance in learning and understanding, followed by realization and acceptance is the key to finding one's way through the wilderness of despair. Yet, your wandering in the wilderness of despair plays a most important part in your spiritual growth! Patience can bloom like a flowering cactus here; rich in color and magnitude. Isolation and desolation can become beautiful in the eyes of one who has made these discoveries. Hope becomes a refreshing oasis in a parched and weary land. Despair need not be master over you. You can be free of that wilderness... What will you do with your despair? You can realize first of all that it gives birth to great knowledge and understanding. You can learn to be merciful to others through it. You can give light to those in darkness. You can give encouragement to the faint-hearted. You can learn to understand your equality of spirit with the least of God's servants.— Most importantly, you can learn how little it takes physically and materially to live righteously; to love justice and mercy, and to walk humbly with your God (Micah 6:8).
The lofty peaks of the Wilderness of Loneliness are indeed inspiring, but should be shared with others. I have hiked much of the California high country, and done most of it alone. It is not wrong to want to spend time alone, but the wrong attitude about solitude can give birth to a loneliness that you will not willingly recognize. Loneliness will affect the way you function spiritually. It can bring on life-changing discoveries and spiritual growth, or it can plunge you into the wilderness of despair. Webster defines loneliness as Isolation; being without companionship or devoid of people. There are times when we need to be alone, but we were designed for companionship with others (Genesis 2:18). For man God created woman, who was to become his most intimate companion. There are those who have allowed members of the same sex to become their most intimate (sexual) companion, but this is of course against nature and detestable in the sight of God. Those who live in this manner will suffer while here on earth, and will forfeit any right to the kingdom of heaven (Romans 1:27, 1st Corinthians 6:9, 10). If the wilderness of loneliness has driven you into this type of relationship, you had better escape it as fast as you can. There are sins off mental depravity that you must literally run from to avoid! Be alert to the fact that no one is incapable of being captivated and consumed by these lusts! As there are people capable of abnormal relationships, there are also those capable of no relationships at all. There are those without wives or husbands and there are those without friends. The wilderness of loneliness is their continuous abode. Those who have made friends with God while in this wilderness are the only ones who have a chance to deal with it adequately, or to escape it completely. Jesus dealt with loneliness on a grand scale—there is no one who has matched the depth of loneliness which He encountered when He was betrayed by His own and put to death by those whom He loved. And in the very end, as He hung on that cross, He was offered a mixture of vinegar and gall to deaden pain, but chose instead to bear the full agony of the death we so deserve. Jesus journeyed into all of the wilderness areas we are exploring here. He understood their depths, while we are merely passing through them. His antidote for loneliness, failure, doubt, affliction, fear, despair and anxiety was found in communion with His Father. He withdrew many times to lonely and desolate places to accomplish this. Most of His three year ministry was spent in prayer. This was His daily encouragement. This was the way He dealt with the loneliness of life while on the earth. When He wasn't formally in prayer, He went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him (Acts 10:38). No one needs to be lonely. If you do not have friends, if you do not have a best friend, then you should consider having God as your friend. Abraham, the great ancestor of the patriarchs, was indeed a friend of God. Noah too was a friend of God. David was himself a man after God's own heart! Anyone has the ability to become a friend of God. We can become God's friend through the actions we take in our lives (James 2:23, 24). We are made right with God by what we do, and not just by believing in Him alone. Anyone can believe—even the devils believe, and they tremble (James 2:19)! True friendships involve action; Jesus said, You are my friends if you obey Me (John 15:14). By becoming a friend of God, you have the power to establish great and meaningful friendships with others. As you become God's friend, through obeying the teachings He has given you in the Scriptures, you learn what it really means to be a friend to others. God can teach you compassion, which I believe is one of the most important ingredients in a friendship. Jesus left us a fine example of compassion, for He did not hesitate to show mercy on anyone, from any walk of life, whether small or great. Love is the essence of the ingredients in friendship. Love is patient and kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. Love is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, and it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. Love always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres (1st Corinthians 13:4-7). Through the operation of this genuinely pure meaning of love true friendship can be established. If your mind dwells on these things while you offer friendship, and you truly put your heart and soul into it, keeping a guard on your attitude and actions, then the one upon whom your friendship falls is indeed fortunate. Becoming a friend to others does not necessarily mean that your days of loneliness will come to an end. You may not receive in return the depth of love that you offer others. Jesus was a true friend to all, yet His closest friends, who claimed utter loyalty to Him, fled from Him in his hour of need, and left Him alone in the hands of wicked and cruel men who sought only to destroy Him. You may have experienced or are yet to experience similar loneliness and betrayal, no matter how much love you give to others. This is the road of choice the Christian must travel, prepared to accept the consequences. Again, I want to emphasize your need to be a friend of God. He will not desert you, even in your darkest hour. He was once however forced to desert (look away from) His only Son as He hung on the cross. Why? Think of all the sins that have ever been committed brought together in one nauseous mass! The very thought of it staggers our imagination. We cannot comprehend it. Enduring the horror of this awful burden the Son of God cried, "My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?" (Matthew 27:46) Christ was actually tasting the hell we deserve, being separated from God the Father by the burden of man's sins. This suffering (separation and anguish) was far more horrible than the mere death of the body. — The good news is, this will never happen again! You won't lose God's attention for one moment. Yet, loneliness is something that is within the nature of man, so there will be times when you seem unable to avoid it. If you have brought about your own loneliness through sin in your life, my heart goes out to you. In this case, consider that God offers unparalleled forgiveness and your loneliness need not consume you; Jesus promised to always be with you (Matthew 28:20). Remember—it is only through His great and precious promises that any of us may continue on in hope (2nd Peter 1:4).
I believe the Wilderness of Anxiety can be the most destructive yet yield the most profound learning experience of all your wilderness wanderings. Anxiety comes in many forms, most of them not at first recognizable. They can drain you physically, mentally, and rob you entirely of all common reasoning. Anxiety can actually rob you of life itself. Lust is one root cause of anxiety. Another is simply the fact that we are a fallen race and anxiety is part of our makeup. In this particular realm there are those with great anxiety and those with little—It's just a matter of how the Potter has formed you. Anxiety can be harnessed for good, but it is a strange force and always requires understanding and control. It can become quite out of control, and in this case the only solution is prayer. Medication and certain types of physical or mental therapy can be temporary controls, but only God can completely cure anxiety, and there are a variety of anxieties that He may not want to bring under what we call "control" or "cure" because they ultimately serve His special purpose for us. Personal anxiety has always been my "thorn" in the flesh. Yet, it has taught me many things that I would have otherwise been ignorant of. Webster defines anxiety as a state of uneasiness or worry; abnormal fear that lacks a specific cause, and, being eager or earnestly desirous. But there are many forms of anxiety that we fail to label as anxiety, and anxiety is not really abnormal fear—it is instead a normal consequence of failure, doubt, fear, loneliness, and despair. Affliction can cause anxiety as well. Any of these forces, singly or in conjunction with one another, seen or unseen, recognizable or not recognizable, can cause anxiety. Among the seven wilderness areas we are exploring, the wilderness of anxiety can be the most deceptive and devastating and, as I mentioned in the beginning, the most destructive. One type of deception is "anticipation". Anticipation is actually anxiety, though we may refuse to label it as such. But in reality, to look forward to something (anticipation) is to be anxious about it. This particular anxiety is impossible to avoid. Our only hope in any type of anxiety is to pray for patience. The answer to this prayer will give us the ability to accept our anxiety, but not to completely remove it. A form of it will always linger, again, because this is our fallen nature, and secondly, God's special purpose for us may require that it continue. When anxiety becomes overwhelming, only acceptance of it and trust in God's plan for us will bring it into a somewhat controllable position. One needs to learn to beware of anxiety's deception, for anxiety can devastate and destroy. Yes, it is natural to worry (be anxious), but it is foolish to allow worry to enlarge beyond the scope of today. Too much anxiety will lead you into the wilderness areas of failure, doubt, fear, loneliness, despair, and even affliction. But, too much anxiety can also have a good result, in that it can lead us to seek God. One should never assume that he/she is beyond the state of needing to learn something new in his/her spiritual relationship with God. Overwhelming anxiety may be the tool God uses to bring a particular learning experience about in your life... The devastating and destructive forms of anxiety come when we fail to see God's hand in our growth. If we fail to realize that God works all things in our lives together for good, then we may fail to see that He is using our anxiety for a particular purpose while conforming us into the image of His Son, which is His ultimate purpose. Jesus endured great anxiety in His earthly life. He wandered into each of the wilderness areas we have explored here. His knowledge of God and His faith in God brought Him through each of them with victory. We can experience these victories as well. How do we recognize unrecognizable anxiety? Let us begin by considering our fears that lack a specific cause, or seem to lack a specific cause. Experience teaches me that I am prone to anxieties or fears whose origins elude me. It is, I believe, impossible to know the depth of depravity within the human nature (Romans 7:15). However, through the spiritual enlightenment of the Scriptures, i.e.: Romans 7:14-25, I can identify anxiety when it rears its head. I can know that some form of it is seeking control of me, and I can endeavor, through the Spirit of God within me, to defeat it, or at least bring it under some reasonable form of control or acceptance. This is simply recognizing the unrecognizable and dealing with it. This is all that one can do spiritually in dealing with deep, unrecognizable anxiety. Are these deep anxieties responsible for the grievous sins in some peoples' lives—murders, child molestations, homosexuality and other sins of a depraved mind? I believe they can be, and I also believe that the evil spirits of the unseen world can enter a person, and control his/her thoughts and actions (Mark 5:9, Acts 5:16) . The Scriptures teach that our greatest battles are with the rulers and authorities and wicked spirits of the unseen world (Ephesians 6:12). I believe, in this present day and age, that prayer is our only defense against them; individual prayers and/or the prayers of others for those of us who are afflicted with these deeper anxieties. It is wise to learn to comprehend that no matter who we are or how strong we think we can be, we are prone to anxieties brought on by the evil spirits of the unseen world. Personally, I consider the wilderness of anxiety to be most responsible for the growth and maturity of sin. I believe it to be the most difficult of all the wilderness areas of our lives. From my youth I have experienced nearly unbearable anxiety. I have fought and struggled against it many times with little success. However, I have also found that when its pull is the strongest it can be controllable through intense prayer. It's a matter of just saying, "no" to its lure, its pull, and its ability to overwhelm, and meaning, "no"! It's a matter of depending on the Lord for the great strength needed in that endeavor, which you cannot muster through your own will. The Scriptures warn us by teaching us to remember: Be anxious for nothing (Philippians 4:6). You must therefore train your mind to dwell on other things when anxiety rears its head (Colossians 3:16). That's the best advice I can give you as well. Be advised also that you'll truly have to work at it. It's a fight of faith. That's just the way it is in the wilderness of anxiety.
Want to know more about the author? Visit A Hawk's Trail at this website [Trail of Time] [New Birth Trail] [Mountain & Valley Trail] [Desert Trail] [Lake Trail] [High Sierra Trail] [Wilderness Trail] [A Hawk's Trail] [False Trail] [Monthly Newsletter] [Newsletter Archives] [Questions & Answers] [On-Line Church] HIKING THE TRAIL OF TRUTH Mark S. Taylor |
