Desert Opportunity: Embracing the Spiritual Wilderness
The spiritual desert has always been a place of transformation. In Scripture and throughout church history, those who wrestled with God, shed illusions, and embraced uncertainty emerged with a more alive and honest faith. The desert is not a wasteland—it’s often where God speaks the clearest.
I know this because I’ve been on this journey since 2014—over a decade of questioning, unlearning, and rediscovering. At times, it has felt painfully long. Yet, in hindsight, I see I’m only beginning to uncover the depths of God and the meaning of faith. The wilderness is not a place of loss but of transformation.
Along the way, I’ve met others—not people abandoning God, but those seeking a deeper, truer connection with Him. Their faith gave them the courage to step into the unknown, not because they had all the answers but because they felt called to more. The desert can feel uncharted, as traditional communities may not always know how to support this journey. Yet, it is in this open space that faith is rebuilt, God is rediscovered, and love becomes real again.
I thought I was wandering alone for a long time—until I crossed paths with others on the same journey. In them, I recognized what I now call the Desert Opportunity—not exile, but encounter.
The Journey of Deconstruction
For many, this wilderness journey begins with deconstruction—re-examining beliefs once taken for granted. It can feel unsettling, even terrifying. We’ve been taught that questioning is dangerous, that doubt leads to losing faith. But the opposite is often true. Honest questions don’t weaken faith; they refine it. They strip away what is untrue, allowing for a deeper, more genuine relationship with God.
I deeply respect those who dare to ask hard questions—not to tear everything down but to seek what is real. These are difficult questions, and I’m not here to offer simple answers. Instead, I walk alongside those on this journey, helping them wrestle, process, and ultimately discover a faith worth holding onto.
Many who embark on this path ask questions like:
Is Jesus really who they say He is?
Can I trust church leaders after so much scandal?
How do faith and social justice connect?
Why do churches focus on some issues more than others?
Can a Christian hold different political views?
How do we reconcile Christian teachings of love and compassion with support for military action or strict immigration policies?
Why is American Christianity so tied to the idea of being patriotic?
Why do some Christians deny the role of racism in poverty?
Does God actually care about people or just rules?
What if everything I’ve been taught is wrong?
These questions aren’t signs of losing faith; they’re invitations to seek a deeper, more authentic understanding of God and what it means to live out our beliefs.
The Desert as a Sacred Encounter
The wilderness has always been a meeting place between humanity and God.
Moses encountered the burning bush in the desert.
The Israelites wandered for 40 years, shedding their old ways and learning to trust God.
Even Jesus withdrew into the wilderness for 40 days, preparing for His mission.
The desert strips away distractions, forcing an encounter with the divine.
The early Desert Fathers and Mothers understood this. They fled to the wilderness, not to escape life, but to find it more fully. In solitude, they sought God beyond the noise, believing—as one Desert Father put it—"The cell will teach you everything."
Theologian Belden C. Lane captures the essence of desert spirituality:
"God can only be met in emptiness, by those who come in love, abandoning all effort to control, every need to astound."
The desert is unsettling because it removes our illusions of control. It’s risky, raw, and unpredictable. But as Lane reminds us:
"The paradox of biblical religion is that God cannot be understood, much less managed… But to our amazement, encountering the Holy can also mean being strangely and unaccountably loved."
Desert experiences aren’t just about geography or isolation—they happen in the soul. They come in seasons of doubt, loss, and uncertainty—when the faith we once knew no longer holds. Yet, in this unraveling, we often encounter God in a new and more authentic way.
To the weary Israelites, God said:
"I carried you on eagles' wings and brought you to myself" (Exodus 19:4).
The desert isn’t a place of abandonment—it’s a place of becoming.
Embracing Desert Spirituality Today
Recognizing the spiritual desert as sacred ground can be a turning point. Instead of fearing it, we can embrace it as a place where transformation happens. Here’s how:
Solitude and Silence – Make space for stillness. Step away from distractions and listen for God’s voice in the quiet.
Honest Questions – Don’t suppress doubts. Wrestle with them, like Jacob wrestling with God. Faith isn’t about certainty; it’s about trust.
Companions on the Journey – Though the desert may feel isolating, you don’t have to walk it alone. Find fellow travelers who understand the path.
Authentic Worship – Explore new ways of connecting with God—through nature, art, music, or contemplative prayer. Let worship flow from where you truly are, not where you think you should be.
The Rhythm of Spiritual Growth
Father Richard Rohr describes the spiritual journey as a cycle:
Order – The faith we first receive is often simple and straightforward.
Disorder – The season of wrestling and questioning, where old beliefs no longer fit.
Reorder – A deeper, more grounded faith that emerges after the struggle.
This is not a one-time process but a lifelong rhythm. Faith evolves. New questions arise. The desert isn’t a detour—it’s part of the journey.
A Sacred Invitation
The desert strips away illusions and invites us to rediscover God—not as we were told He should be, but as He truly is. It’s a place to refine, reveal, and renew our faith. As Amma Syncletica, one of the Desert Mothers, wisely said:
"In the beginning, there are many battles and much suffering for those advancing toward God. But afterward, ineffable joy."
You Don’t Have to Walk Alone
I’d love to journey with you if you're navigating this spiritual wilderness.
For one-on-one conversations, I’m available to walk with you via Zoom. Contact Dan.
In the Greater Boston area? Reach out to join Boston Camino, a space for fellow seekers.
In the Bay Area? Check out Arbor Communities, where others are on this same path.
The desert is not the end of faith—it’s where something real begins.
