The Normal Christian Wilderness

The Normal Christian Wilderness is God’s gift to His church.  God strongly desires us to truly enjoy life – even in the midst of very severe trials, sufferings, and temptations.  The life to be enjoyed is a personal, intimate relationship with His Son Jesus Christ.  God passionately desires us to embrace Jesus.  For Jesus is sure embracing us. 

Of course, to enjoy life during very severe trials, sufferings, and temptations is easier said than done.  That is why this book has been written.  To enjoy daily the life of Jesus during severe trials is not only possible, but one of God’s deepest desires. 

In this book, you will read many, actual Internet discussions I had with Christians a few years ago.  We talk about the realities of life and bringing Jesus into the midst of our trials.  (I have changed their names and removed certain parts of conversations to respect their privacy.  Many of the conversations are the actual words that were used on the Internet discussion forum.) 

The conversations cover different subjects.  However, one theme is central – Jesus Christ.  For Jesus is the Christian life and only He can bring us peace, confidence, love, and solace during your storms and trials.  I pray you discover only Jesus Christ as you read.  I pray you incorporate Jesus more consistently into your daily life. 

There truly is a Normal Christian Wilderness.  It is the person of Jesus Christ living in you.  It is a relationship based totally on love.  It is the presence of God’s love that He desires for us to experience 24 hours per day.  Of course, we will never reach this point in our earthly lifetime, but we do grow into His love moment by moment, day by day.  We become so focused on Jesus’ presence and personal love for us that we begin to see Him consistently everyday.  You will clearly see Jesus, your Light, in the midst of all the darkness in your life.  After all, is it not so very easy to see a lit candle in a dark room?  Jesus is the Light of your world.  Let Him be your Light in your darkness.  As challenging as it may be at times, strive for intimacy with Him during your dark trials, sufferings, and temptations.  This is to be your Normal Christian Wilderness.  What love and peace you will experience from Jesus!  I guarantee it.  Amen! 

As we grow more into God’s love, we begin to see His love far above and over our trials and sufferings.  It is not denying our trials, but only beginning to see them through God’s eyes – to bring Jesus into the center of them.  It is like viewing my hometown, New York City.  If I stand in Times Square, I only see Times Square.  I have no idea what is occurring elsewhere in New York City and its surrounding suburbs.  But, if I view New York City from an airplane as it circles to land at LaGuardia Airport, I view the entire New York City metropolitan area (not just Times Square).  I can view the “big picture.” 

God views the “big picture” of our life.  He views tomorrow because He is already there.  For the trials that are over our heads are all under His feet.  When Jesus walked on the water, He was walking above our trials.  When Peter had his eyes on Jesus, he also walked with Jesus above his trials.  When Peter took his eyes off Jesus and put them on his trials (the storm and the turbulent waves), he sank and his trials became over his head. But Jesus pulled Peter up when he cried out for help. 

We are basically in the same situation as Peter.  Jesus will certainly pull us up when we cry out for help.  May we focus on Jesus in the midst of our storms.  For only HE is the ANSWER to our trials and only HE is our PEACE in the midst of our storms.  It is a peace to rest in His love.  This is the Normal Christian Wilderness that God awaits to reveal to you in your life.  There is a very deep joy in the Normal Christian Wilderness when you experience Jesus in the midst of your trials, sufferings, and temptations.  Who wouldn’t want deep peace and joy in the midst of trials?