“It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles…The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly…who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly.”
Theodore Roosevelt
The Wilderness is the arena where we have been marred and our situation looks bleak. It’s a dusty dry place of combat, or at best survival. But God asks us to dare greatly– to believe Him at His word. He asks us to put on our armor and dare to fight another day. The crowds may cheer or they may turn against us in the arena, but God is always for us. He is in the highest seat of the arena looking down as a proud father at how far we have come.
It is not about knowing victory or defeat, but taking the risk and stepping out. Some days it feels as if we are out there alone. Obedience is a risk into the unknown. We don’t know what will come through those gates, but God has given us the sword of His Word and His mighty promises.
God, as Emperor, puts His thumb up in approval every time, so that we will come through as the victor. Victors in the arena received palm branches or a laurel crown. Our victory coming out of the Wilderness is a crown from our Heavenly Father. It is a victory like no other that brings with it a new-found authority.
The sheer fact that you have made it this far in the Wilderness arena is a testament of strength and courage. Today you may find yourself in the arena covered in dust and sweat, but remember no matter the outcome of this day – COURAGE is found because you simply showed up!
“No one will be able to stand against you as long as you live…
I will be with you as I was with Moses. I will not fail you or abandon you.
Be strong and courageous.”
Joshua 1:5-6a (NLT)
One fateful decision landed me smack in the middle of my own Wilderness…
Though I was obeying God’s voice, I spent the next several years “walking on water,” even though it felt more like I was treading water. A Journey Out of the Wilderness is for people going through a rough time—a Wilderness experience—where you feel as though you are “down for the count” and ready to give up. Wilderness Wanderers feel as though they are doing laps around the mountain, passing the same tree over and over again wondering, “Will this never end?” However, being in the Wilderness will be one of the most transformational times of your life.