Desert Places

It is profound to realize that in some of the moments when we feel farthest from God, we’re actually closest to him. Here’s what I mean: if you ever feel dry and weary, or like your soul is a desert land, or maybe you’ve messed up and you feel broken and ashamed, it’s oftentimes in those moments that we feel like God is distancing himself from us. 

But the opposite is actually true. There’s something in God’s heart that is like a magnetic force to the brokenhearted. He is pursuing those who are weary. It’s because of who he is—he loves to give the thirsty water; he loves to be the great healer to those who are broken and hurting; he loves to restore that which has been lost. 

So, in those low moments, it’s important for us to realize that when we feel like God might be distancing himself, he’s actually pursuing us. Instead of running from him, we need to turn and run to him, because he’s the one who will bring restoration. He’s the one who will bring healing.

A song that I wrote with some friends called Desert Places sums it up this way: “It seems you work best in desert places.” 

My encouragement to you if you’re feeling dry, you’re feeling broken, you’re feeling lonely, is to recognize that you’re actually in the perfect place for God to work profoundly in your life if you’ll turn to him.