Recently, I was asked to speak at an incredible women’s event. It was strategic for me in so many ways. The first of which was to lead me into a micro-desert so I would remember the searing heat of spiritual dryness. The weeks leading up to the event felt like an assault on all sides. Chuck and I were sideways. Both of our cars ended up in the shop. And although the Lord had already given me an outline and revelation for the day, the head noise was loud. Real loud. Then on Friday afternoon, it came.

Streams in my desert.

I had done my part to prepare, or so I thought. I had the scriptures. The post-it notes. Time in worship. I had been interceding for the women and the team. But my heart — it was cracked and thirsty. I needed the river of heaven to wash my mind and spirit once again. The Holy Spirit came in a wave of revelation and comfort of a directed word. I had been sent to harvest where I had not sown. Yes, Lord. I was to release His living water. Yes, Lord. And the words kept rolling over me.

For the event, we used the anchor verse from Isaiah 43:18-19. This chapter is so rich and deep. And so needed.

Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past.
See, I’m doing a new thing!
Now it springs up. Do you not perceive it?
I’m making a way in the wilderness and streams and the wasteland.

I became a Christian more than three decades ago. I’ve experienced many desert seasons and wilderness journeys with the Lord.  I will say, honestly, they all hurt. But frankly, they’re supposed to. God does things in the desert that He cannot do anywhere else. He has given me several pearls on this passage. Consider this the first of many from these verses.

The Lord told me He uses the desert seasons in our lives for three purposes: Assignment, Refinement, or Realignment.

Assignment.
God led the Hebrew children into the wilderness for a specific purpose. They were on assignment to experience firsthand His provision and protection, and to discover His goodness.  After generations of living as slaves, they were confused about God’s love and care, especially when things went terribly wrong. Sounds familiar. God wanted to build trust and intimacy with them. Why? Because they had been assigned to inhabit the Promised Land. Slaves don’t live in the Promised Land. Only children do.

Jesus also was led into the wilderness for a specific purpose. He was to face the temptations of the enemy. The parallel between their 40 years and His 40 days is incredible. Demanding manna, the satan offering bread.  Making of a golden idol, offering Jesus the world in exchange for worship.  When He came out of the wilderness, Luke 4 reads that Jesus was full of the power of the Holy Spirit and began his ministry. This creates great hope for our deserts. God wastes nothing.

Refinement
Many of us go into the desert looking more like Moses. The assignment may be clear, but the heart of the woman or man is lacking. There is work to be done. Inside of us. The Spirit uses this time to prepare us for our calling; to strip us of ourselves; to heal our bad traits; and to build up the weak places in our character. The calling on our lives has to be upheld by our character.

The hardship and strain of the desert allow us to face ourselves in a way that we couldn’t with all the noise and comforts that we surround ourselves with. The desert is meant to reveal who we are under pressure, without our props, so that God might fill us with His power, not our own.

Realignment
Some deserts are a wake-up call. Even the highly gifted and favored Joseph was thrown into a cistern in the wilderness. In fact, we see Joseph go through several harsh deserts in his life (a pit, a slave, and prison). Yet the result is breathtaking. God used it to foster absolute need and dependence on Him. It’s a reminder of surrender.

Maybe we learned to surrender in the past, maybe our trust was greater then. Perhaps our passion burned brighter, but the cares of the world have dimmed the flame that we once had. These seasons cause us to look again for the One, the only One, who actually matters. There is no shame in needing to be called again by Love to the most important thing.

It’s in the desert that we remember: Jesus plus nothing.

What the Hebrew children failed to learn, Jesus did perfectly.  When he was tempted to elevate himself, to worship the enemy, or give in to the temptations of this world, He chose the love for His Father instead. And He fully received the love of His Father.

Jesus invites us to shed anything, everything, that keeps us from absolute dependence on our Father.

Let’s face it. We often try to build lives that help us avoid the desert at all costs. But if you read Isaiah 43: when you walk through the waters…when you go through the fires… you’ll note it doesn’t say— if.  It says when we go through hardships, devastations, deserts, we can take heart.

There is a Perfect Love with us every moment. And nothing is wasted. We will be ready to carry His power by the time we come out of the wilderness.
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