Living in the Wilderness: Lament, Lean, Learn
The season of Lent is always a time of reflection for me. I am writing this devotional nearly a year after COVID hit our community and our first online worship service. As we approach this somber anniversary, I have been reflecting on wilderness seasons and what God has taught me through them.
Lament
First, lament when you need to. Lament is a form of worship and a vital part of our Christian journey. Our laments can bring us closer to God, not further away. It’s a chance to say ‘God, I am overwhelmed with grief, but I will trust in your goodness and faithfulness to bring me through it. The times in my life I have named my laments before God are times I have felt especially close to him. There was no shame, only grace, and naming them started the healing process. The faith God helped me build in previous challenging times, has kept me from falling apart through this season. Share your laments with God, and let him begin to heal your heart.
Lean
Second, draw close and lean on God. The wilderness, while empty and desolate, is always full of opportunities to grow closer to God and worship him while we wait. Worship changes things. It’s one of the reasons we meet together online on Sunday mornings and twice a month for weeknight worship. It’s also why we need to have worship time on our own throughout the week. Worship is about intimacy with God and drawing near to him. The power of God’s presence makes all the difference in our lives. We cannot endure the challenges of the broken world we live in without God’s presence renewing us daily, hourly even. Thanks be to God that his sustaining presence is not limited to inside the church building on Sunday mornings!
Learn
Finally, look for what God is teaching you in the wilderness. Can we even learn to live like Jesus without spending time in the wilderness? I don’t think I can. Wilderness time has taught me a tremendous amount about God’s character and how to trust in him. Every time I read the Old Testament, I am still surprised that the Israelites had such a hard time trusting God when they saw so many miracles firsthand. Sometimes we can’t see all the ways that God is taking care of us and showing us mercy while we are waiting on him to fulfill his promises, but if we get discouraged and tired of waiting, or worse, try to make our own solution, we are going to miss out on what God is preparing for us and teaching us. Story after story in the Bible shows us that God is working for our good. We must rely on God’s wisdom and the promise that his ways are higher. We must learn from God in the wilderness.
Gracious God, over the past year, we have felt stretched, weak, and weary, and have been filled with lament, but you have helped us grow. We give thanks for Jesus’ example in the wilderness. We take this time to think of all the ways you have sustained us during this season, and we see that that the wilderness is not a wasteland and that you can and will use it for our good and your glory. Amen.
Discipleship Guide
THURSDAY (3/11)
In Dare to Hope in God: How to Lament Well, Mark Vroegop lists four elements of most laments: Turn to God, bring your complaint, ask boldly for help, and choose to trust. Read Psalm 13, and reflect on the elements of lament.
Psalm 13 CEB—How long will you forget me, Lord? Forever? How long will you hide your face from me? 2How long will I be left to my own wits, agony filling my heart? Daily? How long will my enemy keep defeating me? 3Look at me! Answer me, Lord my God! Restore sight to my eyes! Otherwise, I’ll sleep the sleep of death, 4and my enemy will say, “I won!” My foes will rejoice over my downfall. 5But I have trusted in your faithful love. My heart will rejoice in your salvation. 6Yes, I will sing to the Lord because he has been good to me.
FRIDAY (3/12)
Spend time reflecting on your own laments. Pray through them in this format: Turn to God, bring your complaint, ask boldly for help, and choose to trust.
Try writing your lament in the form of a haiku poem.
SATURDAY (3/13)
Read 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18: 16Rejoice always, 17 pray continually, 18give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.
Draw close to God through gratitude. Think of three things that you are grateful for even this challenging season.
SUNDAY (3/14)
In The Celebration of Discipline, Richard Foster says “Worship is our response to the overtures of love from the heart of the Father.” Sometimes our worship is singing, praying, and diving into God’s Word. Other times it looks like giving, serving others, and sharing the gospel. Make a list of different acts of worship, and reflect on how you can incorporate worship into your life every day.
MONDAY (3/15)
Read the following verses. Ask God to give you a fresh revelation of his nearness and unfailing love. God teaches us and refines us out of his love for us. Reflect on something God has taught you during this season.
Psalm 145:18 CEB—The Lord is close to everyone who calls out to him, to all who call out to him sincerely.
Job 23:10 NRSV—But he knows the way that I take; when he has tested me, I shall come out like gold.
TUESDAY (3/16)
Read the following verses. Reflect on how your wilderness story can help someone else. Marshall Segal writes “many will not be curious about the hope within us (1 Peter 3:15) unless we suffer something that requires hope.” Sharing our stories of faith, perseverance, and deliverance encourages others to remember the power of God in their storms.
Hebrews 10:23 CEB—Let’s hold on to the confession of our hope without wavering, because the One who made the promises is reliable.
Job 8:21 NIV—He will yet fill your mouth with laughter and your lips with shouts of joy.