Reason for Wilderness

Read: Deuteronomy 8:1-20

God often led us through our wilderness in His perfect time and will. For reasons we need to understand,  in order to enjoy the fullness of His blessings. Below are the reasons for such wilderness in our lives to happen.

Reason 1: To Humble Us

• He made us hungry to teach us that we don't live by bread alone, but we live by every Word that comes out from the mouth of God (V3)
• He disciplined us the way our parent discipline us for our own good. (v5)
• We are humbled for our own good. (v16)

Reason 2: To Test Our Character

• Our character should be a character of gratefulness, remembering to thank God, the ONLY reason we become successful. (v10)
• Our character should not be proud and count it all as our own strength and energy that we were able to achieve such things. (v17)
• Our character are tested so we can be worthy of His promise Land (v7)

Reason 3: To See Our Obedience

• We obey the commands of the Lord our God by walking in His ways and fearing Him. (6)
• If we forget to be thankful and recognize God's workmanship in our lives we are susceptible to fail to obey His commands. (11)
• If we refuse to obey the Lord's command we will also be destroyed. (v20)
• If we remain obedient we are preserved and protected from God's wrath.

If we are careful to obey His commands, then we will live, increase and multiply; and we may be worthy to enter, possess and occupy His promised land (v1). We will actually experience and live in His promise, if we are careful to obey His commands. Refusal to obey His command means our destruction, but following His command means salvation and redemption for us. This is the reason for the wilderness in our lives.