Sometimes we are given an opportunity to be led by the Holy Spirit out of our “comfort zone” which marks the place where we may be on autopilot fulfilling our own dreams, goals and vision for our lives. Other times the Holy Spirit will instantaneously redirect us and within a split second we find ourselves in a complete life transition which leads us into a “desert experience.” In my own life, I have found myself in both of these scenarios. I had my salvation and believed that my heart’s motive for obtaining my goals was pure. I was on autopilot to fulfill my vision. In essence, it was my own plan hindering me from the vision that Jesus had for me. I felt the conditions of these desert experiences to be dry, lonely, frequently hard to navigate through in the sandstorms. As difficult as these seasons have been, each opportunity has drawn me closer to The Lord. It has enhanced my intimacy with Him and brought true fulfillment to my life.

There are also those of us who can become “desert wanderers.” Sometimes we can even justify becoming a wanderer. There are those times of complaining, whining, looking at the past and returning to the past, instead of living by the scripture that states, press on and forget what is behind! In fact, a record account of the Israelites murmuring and reflecting on the past is found in Numbers 11:18-20 where it says,“Tell the people, Consecrate yourselves. Get ready for tomorrow when you’re going to eat meat. You’ve been whining to God, ‘We want meat; give us meat. We had a better life in Egypt.’ God has heard your whining and he’s going to give you meat. You’re going to eat meat. And it’s not just for a day that you’ll eat meat, and not two days, or five or ten or twenty, but for a whole month. You’re going to eat meat until it’s coming out your nostrils. You’re going to be so sick of meat that you’ll throw up at the mere mention of it. And here’s why: Because you have rejected God who is right here among you, whining to his face, ‘Oh, why did we ever have to leave Egypt?'” Andrew Stanley explains it this way, “There seems to be a correlation between the preparation time and the magnitude of a task to which we are called. Leading God’s people out of 400 years of slavery required more than a four year degree. It required forty years of preparation, but then again we are still talking about it today.”

At times, I have desert wandered, but instead of wandering, Jesus has shown me a more excellent way. He has given me more of a hunger and thirst for Him and His Kingdom. Each time I have found myself in the desert, Jesus has entirely redirected me spirit, soul and or body. It has had an impact on my education, influence on my relationships and 180 degree shift in mindset about everything in my life! He has made me more Kingdom purpose driven in the process of refocusing me to have brand new passions, goals, dreams and vision. Trina Young explains it this way, “The desert is often linked to a “mountaintop experience”; that is, the struggle follows a success of some kind. The period of trial comes on the heels of a period of accomplishment or achievement.” Often times, along the journey in the desert is where vision is birthed. Stanley says, “Visioneering is the course one follows to make dreams a reality.” It is our responsibility to seek Christ and to yield to the process of high temperatures and high pressure. After-all, this is how diamonds are formed. You’ve heard the saying, “No pressure, no diamond.” Has Jesus crashed your vision? Have you experienced disruption in any aspect of your life? Have you found yourself in a desert experience? Well, if so, congratulations! In the future, when you reflect on it you will see that it was the Holy Spirit pursuing you and preparing you to carry out his plan, purpose and destiny for your life.