The word “wilderness” when translated, is mentioned almost 300 times in the bible. It is often a reference to a wild field where wild animals live. A wilderness is mostly uncultivated, uninhabited, and unsafe. Sometimes you may find yourself in the wilderness of life—emotionally, financially, mentally, relationally, and spiritually. God will help you to win, even in the wilderness. If you trust God and follow him, He will show you how to defeat the three main challenges posed by the “wilderness” of life.  The first of those three challenges is SCARCITY.

In economics, SCARCITY is a condition where there is never enough resources to meet the wants and needs of society at any given point in time. Every society faces this problem, whether rich or poor. A physical wilderness is usually uncultivated and not ideal for human sustenance. Therefore, you have a shortage of what you need to survive. Similarly, there are times in our lives when there is a scarcity of the things we need to survive and thrive.

When your relationship is full of problems, you are in a relational wilderness. When you constantly struggle to pay your bills, you are in a financial wilderness. When your mind is never at peace, you are in a mental wilderness. If your attitude is all over the place, you are in an emotional wilderness. When you don’t know God, slack up on God, or half-step in your walk with God, you are in a spiritual wilderness. In each of these circumstances, you lack what’s needed to be well and to do well. That’s the wilderness—a place of lack. Scarcity. Insufficiency. 

But the good news is, you can win in the wilderness. This is God’s promise: “²⁶ I will make them (YOU) and the places surrounding my hill a blessing. I will send down showers in season; there will be showers of blessing. ²⁷ The trees will yield their fruit and the ground will yield its crops; the people will be secure in their land… ²⁹ I will provide for them (YOU) a land renowned for its crops, and they (YOU) will no longer be victims of famine in the land or bear the scorn of the nations.” (Ezekiel 34:26-27, 29).

What is it that you lack? In which areas of your life is there a scarcity of what you need? Ask God for help—He can supply all of your needs (Philippians 4:19). Don’t allow what you don’t have now to prevent you from getting what God intends for you. Do your part and keep working through your wilderness. God will do his part and enable you to win in your wilderness. 

Wisdom for this Week

As your trust in God gets bigger, your trials become smaller.