Crossing the wilderness

Temptation.

First thing that comes to mind for me when I hear that word is that its the brand name of my cats’ favorite treats. But it also is woven into the fabric of our lives. Everywhere we look, there is something to tempt us. We are tempted by stuff we should not be eating. We are tempted by things we should not do. We are tempted by things that waste our time and rob us of our funds. We are tempted by ideas that lead us wrong ways and people who only want what is best for them and not for us.

We are also find ourselves tempted to take the easier ways out of situations. We try to avoid the desolations that we find ourselves in. We want to run from the wilderness, the desert that we have to cross. We are tempted to find bandages to fix our wounds and heal our souls instead of facing the issues that cause the desolation and wilderness.

But these states of wilderness are unavoidable. We all have them. They are states of being, periods of time within our lives where things seem to go wrong. They are transitions between jobs, relationships, living spaces. They are moments our lives are upended, difficult situations and times of more questions than answers. There is instability and unknowns, silence and brokenness. Our internal compasses are ineffective, maybe even destroyed in the process. We become lost and sometimes hopeless.

Can we escape these moments of wilderness? Yes. But more often than not, we spend our time denying that they exist. ”I’m fine” we say with false smiles, when inside our worlds are falling apart. We put on these brave faces and our fancy clothes to try to hide the wounds we endure. We are tempted to drown our sorrows with money or other vices. We want to run away and hide from the situations.

But without these wildernesses in our lives, we cannot begin to grow and change. We need the difficulties just as the hero needs the journey, the caterpillar needs the cocoon, the steel needs the forge, the diamond needs the pressure. We need to be forced at times to face our desolations, our hard times to become better people. We need cross the wilderness to see the magic and continue to write the chapters of our story. 

Don’t be tempted to take the easy way out. 

Face the wilderness. Embrace it. Learn to walk in it as a part of your story. Don’t settle. Take that first step.

Stay magical, friends.

---

If you liked this blog post, comment below! Share with others, if you dare. Subscribe to my blog for updates! Visit my “About me” page if you want to contact me.

If you wanted to see some of the fantasy books I have written, check out my Portals Series. My serial novel is available for free on this blog here.

If you are interested in my other online endeavors, check out the drop down menu to see more.

And as always, #writeyourownstory