Have you ever felt crushed? I bet you have in some way. Emotionally we are crushed by grief, loss, and loneliness. Physically we feel crushed by injuries, sickness, or chronic pain we can’t do anything to change. Intellectually we feel crushed by limitations, failures, or comparison. Spiritually we feel crushed at times by wondering where God is in our circumstances. In all of these human experiences, we have a kind and loving Savior who can identify with our aching pain.
God intentionally tests us through various forms of resistance or trials to establish our belief and integrity. Through the process we learn he is the One who sets the terms of discipleship, not us. When pushed, we might want to push back at God, but in his perfect wisdom he questions and stretches us in such a way that draws us nearer to him rather than causing us to run away.
Like the night I survived a terrifying lightning storm with my two other 12 year old friends at the base of Hawk Peak one summer, we often witness God’s goodness and power through being exposed to the wildness of his Creation. And if God chooses, he will usher us into an encounter with him through those wilderness experiences. The book of Job is overflowing with powerful outdoor ministry curriculum. It is about how one man encountered God face to face through the wildness of Creation.
I remember an epoch climb when from dawn til dark I climbed not one, but three peaks covering over 20 miles of hiking in one day. Now I’m always up for an adventure, but honestly, I am more of a wanderer in the wilderness rather than a driven alpinist. Well, by the end of the day I had had it…. Like a soaked sponge that gets squeezed, who we really are comes out when the pressure is on.
We shouldn’t be surprised by trials, we need to expect them…. And trials can be a catalyst for creativity and ingenuity. The wilderness is a perfect environment for ingenuity and improvisation to occur. When problems arise, natural leaders step up and start to unify the group and offer practical solutions.
