Wandering Through the Desert for 40 Years

Can you relate to the biblical account of the Israelites wandering through the desert for 40 years in search of the Promised Land. Perhaps your Promised Land is an important personal or financial goal, the intoxicating feeling of accomplishment that the wonderful dreams of your youth have actually come to fruition, that you’ve finally made it. But have you actually reached that elusive Promised Land or does it seem to keep moving further and further away like the proverbial mirage in the desert?

You may have experienced considerable success, but there is still always one more hill to climb or some pesky situation to resolve before you can declare yourself officially content.

Others may have experienced severe hardships such as illness, unsuccessful careers or failed marriages. For them, the Promised Land is nowhere on the horizon as they simply struggle to survive in the desert of life.

I’ve been there. In my mid-forties, I felt that I was literally wilting under the scorching blaze of career, personal and financial difficulties. I felt myself literally abandoned in the searing heat of the desert.

Like many during times of crisis, I turned to religion, lots of it. Not only did I attend Catholic mass regularly, but I was also lucky enough to discover a Bible study led by an exceptional clergyman, Steve Robinson, who is pastor of Church of the King in Mandeville, Louisiana.

Mass helped to keep God in my heart and the Bible study discussion and interaction helped to apply the biblical lessons to everyday issues. For several weeks, we studied the book of Joshua, who was chosen by God to lead his people across the Jordan River and into the Promised Land. I was particularly struck by one of the passages during this difficult time in my life. “Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” Joshua 1:9 For anyone who feels stuck in the desert, this passage provides strength and guidance to yourself up and begin to address some of the important areas of your life.

Another important lesson from the Book of Joshua, was that God wants us to move beyond our ruts and routines and to press pass our comfort zones. The Israelites could have just stayed in the desert where they had been for 40 years. It can be very easy to become comfortable with our current situation. Although we dream of the Promised Land, we are afraid to try new challenges because our identity is tied deeply into our current routines and roles. Remember though that God will sometimes ask us to take roads that we would never take, but these roads are the ones that we need to take. I knew that I would have to make some changes in my life and take some risks both personally and professionally if I was going to move forward. Within a short period of time I changed employers and financial advisers and entered into a meaningful personal relationship.

Joshua’s next lesson is that God wants us to prepare our hearts properly so that we follow the correct path to the Promised Land. How many times have we struggled so hard for a goal or an outcome only to realize that it provided us very little satisfaction or even ended up harming us. What is the use of climbing all the way up the ladder, if we find that is leaning against the wrong tree? Consequently, in order to be fully satisfied with our lives, we have to ask God’s help in purging ourselves from the hidden secrets, pride, selfishness, fear and jealousy which may skew our dreams and lead us down the wrong road of life.

Finally, we have to realize that God wants us to respond to him by stepping out. We need to remember, despite our darkest days, that God has a wonderful plan for our lives and that we don’t have to fear stepping out. God wants us – He needs us - to trust him. We need to trust God’s heart, God’s plan and God’s character.

I found tremendous comfort and solace in these lessons from Joshua. As I started incorporating them into my daily life, I slowly began wandering out of the desert and toward my vision of the Promised Land of my life. By following these lessons, I hope that you can find the Promised Land also.

---
Tim Burns, a recovering baby boomer, is the author of Midlife Tune-Up, a book to help you make the second half of your life better than the first. A member of the Louisiana House of Representatives, Burns is also vice-president and general counsel for a New Orleans-area marine company and a part-time instructor at Tulane University. For more information, please go to www.midlifetuneup.com