5 Minute Meditation - The Refining Forge of Spiritual Wilderness

Into the Brambles: March 26, 2026

Scripture of the Day

“If I go forward, he is not there;
or backward, I cannot perceive him;
on the left he hides, and I cannot behold him;
I turn to the right, but I cannot see him.
But he knows the way that I take;
when he has tested me, I shall come out like gold.”

Job 23:8-10 (NRSVue)

Reflection for the Coming Day

Each morning I pray in community with my brothers and sisters in the Appalachian Order a piece of St. Patrick’s Breastplate Prayer:

”Christ, as a light illumine and guide me.
Christ, as a shield overshadow me.
Christ under me;
Christ over me;
Christ beside me on my left and my right.
This day be within and without me, lowly and meek, yet all-powerful.”

(The Northumbria Community. Celtic Daily Prayer. Kindle Edition.)

This section always strikes me because isn’t this what we all strive for? Wouldn’t our lives be filled with so much more peace if in every direction we looked the wisdom and foresight of Christ was not only apparent but actively engaged?

Ahh, those are good seasons when we are able to abide in them — “Lowly and meek, yet all powerful.” I’ll take those every day and twice on Sunday as they say.

But what about the seasons that Job references in the passage I’ve copied above? What about the seasons where you look around and the Spirit of God isn’t apparent, and where he seems to have left you all alone at best or altogether at worst.

These are the seasons of wilderness in our lives. The times of testing and trial that scorch our skin, test our faith, and push back against the niceties and spiritual platitudes that build up in seasons of plenty. They are the seasons that make us merciful, empathetic, humble, and quiet if we let them.