“After his baptism, Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit in the wilderness, where for forty days he was tempted by the devil.” Luke 4:1
Lent is a time when we are invited to go into the “wilderness” voluntarily. We chose to spend time with God in the wilderness for the purpose of spiritual growth. However, there are other times in our lives when we are thrust into the wilderness involuntarily. We end up in a dark, lonely, unfamiliar place. Examples of this kind of wilderness experience are illness, loss of a loved one, going through a divorce or dealing with an addiction.
As many of you know I have been dealing with some health issues since the first of the year. I have been receiving treatment for a heart condition. One of the outcomes of this heart ailment is that it has forced me into the wilderness — into a scary, dark, unknown environment. It has and continues to challenge me both spiritually and emotionally.
The result of this involuntary wilderness wrestling is that I am learning some valuable lessons about myself, about life, and about God. It has forced me to re-evaluate my priorities and focus on the things that matter most to me. It has forced me to take a fresh look at things like health, healing, play, nurture and self care. And finally I am learning how much I am loved and cherished by God and so many, many people in my life.
The bottom line for me is that because of my being involuntarily thrust into the wilderness these past few months, this is looking to be the most meaningful Lent I have ever experienced. Because of my time in the wilderness, I am searching more, asking for help more, and discovering deeper parts of myself. It feels like new life, a deeper level of self-acceptance and intimate connection with people.
Whether you have chosen voluntarily to go into the wilderness this Lent or if you have been thrust into the wilderness involuntarily, I pray that your Lenten journey is a good one, a time of spiritual awakening.
~ PR