Wild places are meant to be just that: wild and uncontrolled. Lacking and showing minimal human obstruction. I quite often long to be in that place of solidarity where the surrounding environments seemingly are treacherous. When I feel this, I know that I am in a wild place. I have been in some truly remote environments that bring forth what one would expect a wild place to encompass.
I find these wild places to be a necessity because it’s essence strips us of our natural element of control that we see in civilization. When we escape to the wild, we are faced with the realization that there is no escape from our thoughts and that we are not in control of the environment around us. The active distractions that we find in our day-to-day routine do not exist in these wild places. We are bombarded with examples of how we should act, think, speak, and the list goes on. We continually rely on this process of forced reality, which is precisely why we need to escape.
If ever there was a time to escape civilization, these current times would dictate so. Human nature is not meant to operate on auto-pilot continually, and we have been operating in this setting for an extended period now. There has to be an adventure, exploration of the unknown, and obstacles to conquer. Without these challenges, we become stagnant, and dare I say we tend towards being irritated/offended at anything and everything.
With these new trends, we have literally put a mask over our natural instincts to explore and conquer. We search for images and videos of daring adventures to fill our brain and to expand our dreams. When we sit and ponder on these daring dreams, we make no progress. That’s all that these ideas will ever be: dreams. How will you ever conquer an obstacle if you don’t go and do?
Mountains are meant to be climbed. Oceans are meant to be explored, and the wilderness is meant to be searched. In searching for these obstacles to conquer and dragons to slay, we begin to strip off these things that so easily entangle us. These wild places give us perspective, and that is what we need so badly. In finding perspective, we begin to realize what items, ideas, and actions are hindering us.
You can’t expect to find revelation sitting in your living room. The best example of this comes from a very famous man. He withdrew to the wild places and sought-after solidarity to first find peace from the outside world, and then search for wisdom. His wilderness was not always easy, and he had many struggles come from his time in these wild places, but the end result of his persistent pursuit was everlasting. His time in the wilderness brought him perspective, guidance, and courage to go forth and conquer the greatest obstacle that has ever been conquered. You can read about this man in a book called the Bible.
I do not know what season you are in. I cannot guarantee that you will find the answers you are looking for in the wild places. But, if you make your heart vulnerable and listen for His voice, answers will be revealed to you through the moans and groans of the wilderness. Every time I go out searching for answers, I always find that the answers that are shown to me are not what I had expected but were what was needed.
Go out and search for those wild places.
Psalm 72:3 “The mountains shall bring peace to the people”
over the next ridge 