Last weekend I went to a men’s retreat called Band of Brothers. The speaker, Father Torres, talked about what it means to be a Christian man in this day and age. One particular idea that I wanted to reflect on further is that we, as Christians, should rejoice when we are going through the desert, because our suffering is redemptive.
Yes, I think we all intellectually get it, but it’s still hard to execute.
The 20 years I spent in the Army and Corporate America, taught me that I always need to have solid estimate. It’s going to take this many months to achieve that particular milestone, or I need this many people to get a particular task accomplished on time.
That’s why it used to be so hard for me when I couldn’t come up with an estimate of when God is going to act. In fact, I thought “God is not doing what I want Him to do, so I need to take matters into my own hands!”
With time, I learned God’s ways are not a problem for me to solve, but a relationship for me to strengthen.
This really came home for me as I am going through the Personal Growth Course, where one of the attendees shared the following quote “When there is a lack of communication, people naturally default to the negative.”
The simple fact of the matter is we’ll never know when we’re going to come out of our desert. Whatever that desert might look like for each of us. While I am not rejoicing yet, I find it tremendously helpful to increase prayer in the difficult times. For if I don’t, I know my insufficient communication with God, will drive me to assume the worst.
By spending time with God I’m able to unbind my heart so that I am free to love well. Especially during the times, when it’s most difficult to do so.
How do you walk through your deserts? How can you increase your communication with God?
Don’t know how to get started? Please e-mail marek@cs1mindset.com for a complementary 30 minute conversation that will help you grow through your time in the desert.
