The Unexpected Gift
Seeing Beauty of the Wilderness with Faith Eury Cho
In a deeply insightful interview with Family Life Radio, Faith Eury Cho, a seasoned preacher and passionate advocate for knowing God’s presence, shares her unique perspective and the significance on the subtitle of her newest book, Experiencing Friendship with God: How the Wilderness Draws Us to His Presence.
Understanding the Wilderness
“The wilderness is a barren season, a season of closed doors, seemingly unanswered prayers,” Faith described. “It’s when you feel like things aren’t moving, when you’re waiting, when you’re being crushed. The way I like to explain it is when what you know of God is not what you’re experiencing of God.”
This can be a challenging time for anyone. You might recall moments in your life when God seemed silent, where your prayers felt unanswered. But in these periods, Faith encourages us to see them not as abandonment, but as an invitation to a deeper understanding and relationship with God.
Parallel with the Israelites
“You may know of God as good, but your circumstances may not feel good. You may know of God as a comforter, but you’re not feeling comfort. You may know God as a deliverer, but you are in dire need of deliverance. And when you go through a season like that – and for some it could look like a long season of disappointment, of stillness, of headedness, whatever it looks like for you – that is our wilderness.” Faith continues.
Drawing parallels with the Israelites’ 40-year journey in the desert, Faith says, “Their physical wilderness journey … was also a spiritual one.” The journey wasn’t just about reaching the Promised Land; it was about discovering God’s presence in the midst of their trials.
“The kingdom dream is not the same as the American dream,” Faith emphasizes. Our wilderness seasons aren’t roadblocks to success but are opportunities to experience God’s presence in a way that is often overlooked in times of abundance. “They were already blessed with this proximity to the presence of God,” Faith notes, highlighting how the Israelites, and by extension, we, are blessed even in our barren seasons.
Wilderness as a Gift
Imagine seeing your struggles, your waiting periods, as a gift. “The wilderness was so that the people of God can be in friendship with their Father in heaven,” Faith explains, portraying the wilderness as a beautiful backdrop for developing a deeper, more intimate relationship with God.
The Beauty of the Wilderness
In the wilderness, we often focus on what we lack, what we are waiting for or the pain we are enduring. But there’s beauty to be found in these barren landscapes. “When you study the beauty of the wilderness, you see that they were already blessed.”
The Israelites had something incredibly precious during their journey: the presence of God amidst them. For the first time since the Garden of Eden, the people of God had such direct access to Him. This is the true beauty of the wilderness – not the struggle, but the presence and intimacy with God that it cultivates.
Transforming Our Perspective
How we view our wilderness season can profoundly impact our relationship with God. It’s easy to focus on the pain and the waiting, missing the joy and growth that can come from these experiences. “It’s interesting how our perspective on our wilderness changes our whole relationship to our Lord,” Faith reflects.
Our wilderness journeys teach us to rely on Jesus, on God, for fulfillment rather than our circumstances. “I grew up with a problem that eventually got fixed, but it caused me to live in pain until I was 15,” she shared. “And I think it changed my entire perspective on life because I didn’t know life without pain until I was 15.”
Such experiences can reshape our understanding of life and draw us closer to God, recognizing His role as our comforter, provider and helper.
Every Season Has Kingdom Significance
Faith concludes with, “The purpose of our lives is to know Jesus intimately, authentically, and passionately. Then every season has Kingdom significance.”
This perspective shifts how you might view your current challenges. Instead of seeing them as obstacles, they become avenues to experience God’s presence and grace in new ways. It’s about finding joy and purpose in every season, knowing that God is using each one to draw you closer to Him.
Faith Eury Cho
A passionate gospel preacher since 19, Faith Eury Cho now excels as an international speaker, pastor, author, and CEO. Her commitment to sharing the gospel’s joy and the Presence of God is evident in her leadership at The Honor Summit, which she founded, and Mosaic Covenant Church, which she co-pastors with her husband. A graduate from Liberty University with a Masters in Divinity, Faith also contributes to Propel Ecclesia and is the author of “Experiencing Friendship with God.” Recognized as one of “20 Rising Leaders” by Outreach Magazine, Faith’s most treasured role is being a mother to her four children.
Visit https://www.faitheurycho.com/ or follow Faith on Instagram @FAITHEURYCHO
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