Embracing the Wilderness: God's Preparation for Purpose
Summary
In every life, there are places where only God sees—those hidden spaces of the heart and soul where no one else can look in, and where God does His deepest work. These are the places of preparation, the wilderness seasons, the in-between times when we are not yet where we hope to be, but no longer who we once were. Paul’s story, as told in Galatians and Acts, is a powerful example of this. Before his conversion, Paul (then Saul) was zealous for the wrong things, persecuting the church with passion and conviction. But after his encounter with Jesus, everything changed. Yet, instead of immediately stepping into the fullness of his calling, Paul entered a long season—fourteen years—of obscurity, solitude, and preparation.
This time was not punishment, nor was it simply a period of waiting. It was a season where God stripped away not only Paul’s sinful past, but also his self-reliance, his confidence in his own qualifications, and even his good intentions. Paul had all the credentials to be a great leader on paper: education, zeal, heritage, and intellect. But God’s purpose was not to use Paul’s strengths alone, but to bring him to a place of utter dependence on Christ. In the wilderness, Paul learned that true effectiveness in God’s kingdom comes not from what we bring, but from what God does in and through us.
Preparation is not just about loss, though it often feels that way. It is also a productive time, a season where God shapes us, teaches us, and even uses us in ways we may not recognize. Paul was not idle during these years; he served, planted churches, and grew in his understanding of the gospel. The purpose of this preparation was to ensure that when Paul finally stepped into his public ministry, he would preach not his own message, but the pure gospel of Jesus Christ. The wilderness is not wasted. It is where God removes what is unnecessary, so that what remains is Christ alone.
The challenge is to embrace this hidden season, to resist the urge to turn back to what is familiar or comfortable, and to trust that God is at work even when no one else sees. Like the disciples who chose to stay with Jesus when others walked away, we are called to persevere, knowing that the words of eternal life are found in Him alone. The time of preparation is not about making us better in the eyes of others, but about making us more like Christ, so that when the time comes, it is His life and His message that shine through us.
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Key Takeaways
- Preparation Is a Season of Loss—Even of Good Things
God’s preparation often involves stripping away not only our sinful habits and wrong beliefs, but also our strengths, qualifications, and self-reliance. Like Paul, we may find that what once made us confident is taken away, so that our dependence is on Christ alone. This loss is not to diminish us, but to make room for God’s power to be revealed in our weakness. Only when we are emptied of ourselves can we be truly filled with Him. [29:13]
- God’s Timing Is Not Our Timing
The world values speed and immediate results, but God is not in a hurry. Paul’s fourteen years of preparation remind us that God is more concerned with getting us right than getting us there quickly. The wilderness may feel long and unproductive, but God is shaping our character and faith for something greater than we can imagine. Trusting God’s timing means surrendering our impatience and allowing Him to do a deep work in us. [32:28]
- Preparation Is Productive, Not Passive
Even in seasons of obscurity, God calls us to serve, to grow, and to be faithful with what is before us. Paul did not sit idle during his years of preparation; he planted churches and ministered as God led him. Our hidden seasons are not wasted if we remain available and obedient, allowing God to use us in ways that may not be seen or celebrated by others. Faithfulness in the unseen prepares us for fruitfulness in the seen. [39:34]
- The Purpose of Preparation Is to Remove “Me” from the Message
God’s goal is not to make us better versions of ourselves, but to make us vessels for His message. Paul’s preparation ensured that when he preached, it was not his own gospel, but the gospel of Jesus Christ. Our time in the wilderness is meant to purify our motives, refine our message, and ensure that what we offer the world is not ourselves, but Christ in us—the hope of glory. [41:02]
- The Mindset We Bring to the Wilderness Matters
The Israelites saw the wilderness as a place of deprivation and wanted to return to slavery, while the disciples saw their time with Jesus—even in discomfort—as worth everything. Our perspective in seasons of preparation determines whether we turn back or press on. When we value knowing Christ above all else, we find that the wilderness becomes a place of intimacy, transformation, and preparation for greater things. [19:00]
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Youtube Chapters
[00:00] - Welcome
[01:17] - Review of Previous Examples: Jesus, Moses, David, Shammah
[02:45] - Paul’s Story: From Persecutor to Preacher
[04:37] - Paul’s Conversion and the “Lost Years”
[07:05] - The In-Between: Preparation and Wilderness
[08:22] - Understanding the Wilderness Experience
[09:14] - Alone with God: The Purpose of Preparation
[10:18] - The Arrow and the Target: God’s Process
[12:07] - Israel in the Wilderness: Turning Back vs. Trusting God
[14:41] - God’s Perspective on Preparation
[16:56] - The Disciples’ Preparation with Jesus
[19:00] - The Mindset of Perseverance
[22:20] - Paul’s Preparation: A Time of Loss
[23:57] - Paul’s Qualifications and God’s Stripping Away
[27:51] - Our Limitations and God’s Greater Purpose
[30:35] - Paul’s Rejection and Trials
[34:00] - Paul’s New Mindset: Knowing Christ Above All
[37:13] - Preparation Is Productive
[39:34] - Paul’s Ministry During Preparation
[41:02] - The Purpose: Preaching Christ Alone
[44:18] - The True Goal of Preparation
Study Guide
Small Group Bible Study Guide: “Preparation: Where Only God Sees”
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### Bible Reading
- Galatians 1:11–2:2
Paul describes his conversion, his time away from Jerusalem, and his years of preparation before public ministry.
- Numbers 14:1–4
The Israelites grumble in the wilderness and want to return to Egypt instead of trusting God in their season of preparation.
- John 6:66–69
Some disciples turn away from Jesus after a hard teaching, but Peter and the others choose to stay, recognizing that only Jesus has the words of eternal life.
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### Observation Questions
1. According to Galatians 1:11–2:2, what did Paul do immediately after his conversion? How long was it before he began his public ministry?
*(see [02:45] and [05:59])*
2. In Numbers 14:1–4, what was the Israelites’ response to their time in the wilderness? What did they want to do?
*(see [12:07])*
3. In John 6:66–69, how did Peter and the other disciples respond when Jesus asked if they wanted to leave too?
*(see [19:00])*
4. What are some of the “good things” Paul lost during his time of preparation, according to the sermon?
*(see [23:57] and [29:13])*
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### Interpretation Questions
1. Why do you think God allowed Paul to spend so many years in obscurity and preparation before launching him into public ministry?
*(see [07:05] and [32:28])*
2. The Israelites saw the wilderness as a place of deprivation, while the disciples saw their time with Jesus as worth everything. What does this difference in mindset reveal about their trust in God?
*(see [14:41] and [19:00])*
3. The sermon says that preparation is not just about losing bad things, but also about losing our self-reliance and even our strengths. Why might God want to strip away even the “good” things in us?
*(see [29:13] and [35:07])*
4. Paul’s preparation was not passive—he served and planted churches even in obscurity. What does this teach us about how we should approach our own “hidden” seasons?
*(see [37:13] and [39:34])*
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### Application Questions
1. Can you identify a season in your life that felt like a “wilderness” or a time of preparation? How did you respond—did you want to turn back to what was comfortable, or did you press on?
*(see [12:07] and [19:00])*
2. Are there areas in your life right now where you sense God is stripping away not just bad habits, but also things you once relied on—like your strengths, qualifications, or plans? How does that make you feel?
*(see [29:13] and [35:07])*
3. The world values speed and quick results, but God is not in a hurry. Where do you feel impatient with God’s timing? What would it look like to surrender that impatience to Him?
*(see [32:28])*
4. Paul was not idle during his years of preparation—he served, grew, and was faithful in the unseen. What is one “hidden” way you can serve or grow right now, even if no one else notices?
*(see [37:13] and [39:34])*
5. The purpose of preparation is to remove “me” from the message, so that Christ alone shines through. Are there areas where your own agenda or pride might be getting in the way of what God wants to do through you?
*(see [41:02] and [44:18])*
6. The Israelites wanted to go back to Egypt, but the disciples chose to stay with Jesus. What helps you keep going when following Jesus gets hard? Is there a specific truth or promise that encourages you to persevere?
*(see [14:41] and [19:00])*
7. Paul’s mindset shifted from relying on his resume to simply wanting to “know Christ.” What would it look like for you to value knowing Jesus above all else in your current season?
*(see [34:00] and [35:07])*
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Closing Prayer:
Ask God to help you embrace seasons of preparation, to trust His timing, and to let Christ be the center of your life and message.
Devotional
Day 1: Preparation Happens Where Only God Sees
There are seasons in life when God draws us away from the public eye, into places where only He sees. In these hidden times, God is at work shaping, molding, and preparing us for what lies ahead. Just as Paul spent years in obscurity after his conversion, these periods are not wasted; they are essential for spiritual growth and readiness. It is in the quiet, unseen moments with God that our character is formed and our faith is deepened, equipping us for the calling He has placed on our lives. [07:40]
Galatians 1:11-24 (ESV)
For I would have you know, brothers, that the gospel that was preached by me is not man's gospel. For I did not receive it from any man, nor was I taught it, but I received it through a revelation of Jesus Christ. For you have heard of my former life in Judaism, how I persecuted the church of God violently and tried to destroy it. And I was advancing in Judaism beyond many of my own age among my people. So extremely zealous was I for the traditions of my fathers. But when he who had set me apart before I was born, and who called me by his grace, was pleased to reveal his Son to me, in order that I might preach him among the Gentiles, I did not immediately consult with anyone; nor did I go up to Jerusalem to those who were apostles before me, but I went away into Arabia, and returned again to Damascus. Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to visit Cephas and remained with him fifteen days. But I saw none of the other apostles except James the Lord's brother. (In what I am writing to you, before God, I do not lie!) Then I went into the regions of Syria and Cilicia. And I was still unknown in person to the churches of Judea that are in Christ. They only were hearing it said, "He who used to persecute us is now preaching the faith he once tried to destroy." And they glorified God because of me.
Reflection: Where in your life right now do you sense God calling you into a season of hidden preparation, and how can you intentionally seek Him in those unseen places today?
Day 2: Trusting God in the Wilderness
The wilderness is often a place of discomfort, uncertainty, and testing, but it is also where God invites us to rely on Him alone. Like the Israelites, we may be tempted to look back or complain when things get hard, but God’s desire is to break our dependence on anything but Him. In the wilderness, God is not punishing us but preparing us, teaching us to trust His process and His presence even when we cannot see the outcome. [15:49]
Numbers 14:1-4, 11-12 (ESV)
Then all the congregation raised a loud cry, and the people wept that night. And all the people of Israel grumbled against Moses and Aaron. The whole congregation said to them, "Would that we had died in the land of Egypt! Or would that we had died in this wilderness! Why is the Lord bringing us into this land, to fall by the sword? Our wives and our little ones will become a prey. Would it not be better for us to go back to Egypt?" And they said to one another, "Let us choose a leader and go back to Egypt." ... And the Lord said to Moses, "How long will this people despise me? And how long will they not believe in me, in spite of all the signs that I have done among them? I will strike them with the pestilence and disinherit them, and I will make of you a nation greater and mightier than they."
Reflection: In what area of your life are you tempted to turn back or complain instead of trusting God’s process, and how can you choose to rely on Him today?
Day 3: The Mindset of Following Jesus Through Hard Times
Following Jesus often means walking through seasons of discomfort and uncertainty, but the true disciple recognizes that there is nowhere else to go but to Him. The disciples faced hardship, lack, and even the temptation to return to their old lives, yet they chose to stay with Jesus because they knew He alone had the words of eternal life. This mindset—refusing to turn back and choosing to see the journey through—enables us to experience the fullness of what God has for us, even when the way is difficult. [19:00]
John 6:66-69 (ESV)
After this many of his disciples turned back and no longer walked with him. So Jesus said to the twelve, "Do you want to go away as well?" Simon Peter answered him, "Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life, and we have believed, and have come to know, that you are the Holy One of God."
Reflection: When following Jesus feels hard or lonely, what keeps you from turning back, and how can you reaffirm your commitment to Him today?
Day 4: Preparation Is a Time of Loss—Even of Good Things
God’s preparation often involves a stripping away—not just of sin or harmful habits, but even of our strengths, qualifications, and the things we might rely on apart from Him. Like Paul, we may have impressive resumes or natural abilities, but God’s desire is that we would count all things as loss compared to knowing Christ. In this humbling process, we learn to depend on Jesus alone, recognizing that our true effectiveness comes not from what we bring, but from what He does in and through us. [36:27]
Philippians 3:4-8 (ESV)
Though I myself have reason for confidence in the flesh also. If anyone else thinks he has reason for confidence in the flesh, I have more: circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; as to the law, a Pharisee; as to zeal, a persecutor of the church; as to righteousness under the law, blameless. But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ.
Reflection: What is one strength, qualification, or comfort you tend to rely on instead of Jesus, and how can you surrender it to Him today?
Day 5: The Purpose of Preparation—So Christ Alone Is Seen
The ultimate goal of God’s preparation is not to make us look better or more impressive, but to ensure that the message and ministry that flow from our lives are truly centered on Jesus. When we allow God to refine us in the hidden places, He removes our self-reliance and personal agendas, so that what we offer the world is not our own version of the gospel, but the pure, life-giving message of Christ. In this way, our lives and ministries point others to Jesus alone, and He receives all the glory. [43:08]
Galatians 2:20-21 (ESV)
I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. I do not nullify the grace of God, for if righteousness were through the law, then Christ died for no purpose.
Reflection: How can you ensure that what you share and how you serve today points others to Jesus alone, rather than to yourself or your own abilities?
Quotes
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