Led by the Spirit in the wilderness
There is a movie, Last Days in the Desert, that explores an imagined last days of Jesus’ 40-day fast and prayer in the desert, that is presented in this week’s Gospel Luke 4:1-13 ‘Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordon and was led by the Spirit in the wilderness for forty days, being tempted by the devil.’
It is a creative adaptation and while the photography of the desert and the temptations by the devil are dramatic, there is one major ommission, the presence of the Holy Spirit. The Gospel presents the line - ‘led by the Spirit in the wilderness’ that is pivotal to the experience.
I have never experienced a physical wilderness like in the deserts of the Holy Land, but I have had experiences that certainly felt like being in the wilderness. Times when I felt alone, lost, disoriented, confused, wandering in strange landscapes.
Yet, in those moments of wilderness in my life—whether emotional, spiritual, or situational—I have come to realize that I was never truly alone. The very presence of the Holy Spirit that led Jesus in the desert also sustained me in my own trials, even when I struggled to perceive it.
The Holy Spirit, though unseen, moves within us, guiding, strengthening, and whispering truth when we feel most vulnerable. It is in these wilderness experiences that faith is tested, but also deepened, as we learn to trust not in our own strength, but in the quiet assurance that we are being led, even when the path ahead seems like the dry expanse of the desert.
Friend, maybe this Lent finds you in the wilderness of the desert—wandering through uncertainty, facing struggles that test your faith, or longing for clarity in the midst of confusion. Perhaps you feel the weight of temptation, the ache of loneliness, or the exhaustion of waiting for answers that seem just out of reach. If so take heart, for you are not alone.
Just as the Spirit led Jesus in the wilderness, that same Spirit is with you now, guiding and strengthening you. In the stillness of your desert, may you come to recognize His presence, hear His voice, and find renewed hope in the promise that He is always leading you toward life.
I urge you to go within, listen for His voice, interiorly in silence. Call upon Him in prayer. Open your heart to the grace that is flowing towards you. Reach out and hold His hand and let Him guide you through the desert.