Life can be a challenging and overwhelming experience sometimes. It feels as if our inner as well as our social resources are depleted and we have no where left to turn. The title of Psalm 63 declares it to be “A Psalm of David, when he was in the Wilderness of Judah.” We know what it feels like to be in a wilderness. The news announces yet another school shooting and our hearts sink once again. The economy slips another notch and we recognize the familiar feeling of uncertainty. People around us lose their jobs because of downsizing, and we feel for them while at the same time we wonder if we will be next. Friends and family get sick, and we find ourselves distressed over their illness even as we are faced with our own mortality. There are times when we long for the comfort and security of a life which seems to be rapidly disappearing. The familiar landmarks are fading fast.

Those of us for whom faith is an important part of life can draw strength and comfort from our relationship with God. But sometimes even faith seems to falter. We focus so much on the present moment, and what is or is not happening right now, that we can easily lose sight of the bigger picture. We can’t see God in this instant, so we despair. How, then, do we maintain and nurture our faith in such a way that we not only survive but thrive even in the midst of our wilderness experiences? There are no simple answers or easy solutions, but we might begin by paying attention to our relationship with God. As with any relationship, it will almost certainly atrophy and flounder if we take it for granted and neglect it. A healthy and vital relationship of any kind, including one with God, will involve active participation on our part. We would do well, then, to follow the example of David in the Psalms.

When he found himself in the wilderness, it was God to whom he turned. And when he could not immediately discover God’s presence, he sought after it until he found it. “O God, you are my God, I seek you, my soul thirsts for you; my flesh faints for you, as in a dry and weary land where there is no water.” (Psalm 63:1) And where he begins his search is in his own memory -- remembering those times in his own life when God had not felt so distant and difficult to find. “So I have looked upon you in the sanctuary, beholding your power and glory. Because your steadfast love is better than life, my lips will praise you.” (Psalm 63:2-3) “...for you have been my help, and in the shadow of your wings I sing for joy.” (Psalm 63:7) Looking back to God’s goodness which had previously been experienced led directly into a present-tense awareness of God’s ongoing presence, even in the wilderness.

A steady diet of nostalgia is certainly not healthy. Simply longing for “the good old days” is not what David was doing. Such attitudes can easily keep us trapped in the past, unable to move forward. But there are times when it is helpful and healthy to look back in order to gain the strength for the journey ahead. In a relationship with friends or spouse, the practice of “remember when...” can be an important part of strengthening the ties which bind us together. Sitting at the kitchen table looking at pictures of important moments in our shared history is one of the ways of remembering who we are for each other. The same is true of our relationship with God. Reflecting on those times when God has felt particularly close can help attune and focus our spiritual senses in times of wilderness isolation. Remembering those occasions when we were very aware of the faith which sustains us can strengthen hope for our present circumstances.

And it is about more than simply the courage to endure. The power of God in our lives can transform the very fabric of our reality. God is fully present in every moment of every day of our living. But sometimes we forget to notice. Or we are too overwhelmed by the weight of the moment to see. Remembering God’s goodness is a way of drawing our attention back to what has always been and continues to be true. We occasionally need to be reminded that the words which come to us from Isaiah represent a true reality. Even when it feels as if we are in the wilderness, distracted by the pain and the stress and the loneliness which the world can throw at us, God is saying to us, “Everyone who thirsts, come to the waters; and you that have no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without price. . . Listen carefully to me, and eat what is good, and delight yourselves in rich food.” (Isaiah 55:1-2) Paying attention to our relationship with God can help us to remember this important truth. And paying attention before we find ourselves in the wilderness can help prepare us for those occasions when the familiar disappears and life becomes overwhelming. May we remember God’s goodness which has gone before, so that we might continue to experience God’s goodness in this present moment. In this season of Lent may we continue our journey from darkness into light.