We all walk through wilderness seasons, those spiritually dry places where God teaches us to trust Him. It’s often in the middle of the bleakest desert that God revives our wounded hearts and sets us free from the false narratives that hold us captive.
Though we try to avoid these seasons at all costs, God leads us to the wilderness to reveal Himself to us in new and life-giving ways. The Old Testament documents Israel’s journey through the wilderness, and the New Testament opens with Jesus’ own time of testing in the wilderness.
One thing is clear in Scripture: We are never alone in the wilderness. If you are walking through a wilderness of your own, may this prayer remind you of the One who promised to never leave or forsake you.
Prayer for the Wilderness
Father, you’ve led me to this wilderness to heal me, change me, and reveal yourself to me. I trust in your plan for me as well as your willingness and ability to provide for me here. I don’t want to grumble like Israel, Lord; I want to thank you for the manna—the provisions from your hand—I often miss.
I don’t want to wander in fear and unbelief. Help me believe you have freedom for me on the other side of this wilderness.
I don’t want to self-protect, isolate, or place my heart high on a shelf out of reach. I want to bring you my whole heart. I want to uncover so you can cover and heal. I want to hold nothing back, Jesus. I don’t want to doubt your love like Israel. I want to grow deeper in my understanding of your love for me, but I know I need your help to even grasp how long, how wide, and how deep your love truly is.
I don’t want to dismiss your promises. I want to cling to the living Hope you’ve provided, Father, in your Son, Jesus. Help me to remember that every resurrection follows a death and that joy exists in suffering and sorrow. Give me kingdom eyes to see you at work.
I don’t want to doubt your presence. You’ve led me here to show me a brand new side of your heart. You are helping me exercise my spiritual muscles in discerning your voice in brand new ways. Lord, I admit it’s easy to spot you in the supernatural, in the spectacular, and in the fire, yet I struggle to hear that gentle whisper you’re teaching me to listen for. Open my eyes to recognize you in the ordinary as well as in the extraordinary.
Quiet my heart to hear your voice. Father, I don’t want to resist your will and your timing. Help me lay down my agenda and my pride. Teach me submission and humility.
Finally, Lord, I confess that left on my own, I will pass down a slave-mentality to my children. Lord, I want to leave them a legacy of freedom. Thank you that the work the Holy Spirit is doing in my heart will have a life-changing effect on my marriage and on my children as well as future generations.
Remind me, Lord, on especially difficult days that this process is worth it and that you are with me. Let my own freedom journey have a domino effect on those closest to me. Let your love spread like wildfire, Jesus.
I thank you for the beautiful picture in your Word of what a perfect wilderness journey looks like. And while I am not perfect or sinless (and neither is my journey), you’ve left your Spirit as a deposit of what’s to come. You’ve placed your Spirit within me to perfect me and change me day by day into your likeness.
Lord, I surrender and ask you to do the work in my heart. I acknowledge my need to participate with you in obedience and faith.
Father, I want my one aim in this life to be to know you and to glorify you. Take my brokenness and all my imperfections and bring me to wholeness in your name. Let my life story be a picture of trust, obedience, and belief in your beautiful redemption plan—for me and for this entire broken world.
In the glorious and matchless name of Jesus Christ, the One who secured the way to freedom with His own precious blood, Amen.
Scripture references: Deuteronomy 1:1-8; Deuteronomy 8:1-9; Matthew 4:1-11
