Blooming in the Desert
“We know that all things work for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose” (Roman 8:28).
Editor’s note: This Lent, the Catholic Women in Business team is exploring the theme “Cultivating Virtue in the Desert.” Learn more here.
Vulnerability does not come naturally to me, so on the way to a monthly coffee date with a friend, feeling my body tensing up, I repeatedly told myself, “Keep it together, keep it together.” I arrived to find a croissant, a peppermint mocha, and my friend’s joyful self waiting for me. About 10 minutes into our conversation, my friend said, “Natasha, you have to let out whatever it is you're holding in!”
She opened the internal floodgates.
Unable to keep it together any longer, I shared the thoughts and emotions I had been suppressing for months: I’m trying so hard to do what God is asking of me, yet the more I lean into his ask, the more I feel like I’m in the middle of the Mojave Desert.
At that moment, my friend knew exactly what I needed: a listening ear.
We stood up and collected our things, and she hugged me. Before going our separate ways, she said, “What if the Holy Spirit is inviting you into the desert? Have faith.”
Preparing to Bloom
In his Word on Fire commentaries, Bishop Robert Barron often describes the desert experience as one that the Holy Spirit calls us into as a preparation for life to bloom.
It sounds odd, doesn’t it? Can life really bloom in the extreme and harsh conditions of the desert?
If you’ve ever experienced or seen images of a desert superbloom, you know that in the desert, remarkable life can bloom.
Even a quick review of the great heroes in our Catholic faith can illustrate the role the desert serves as a catalyst for fulfilling the mission God has respectively given to each of us. Abraham, Joseph, Moses, John the Baptist, St. Paul, and even Jesus were all led into the desert before marvelously blooming.
Internal desert experiences challenge and stretch us in uncomfortable ways. They strip us of the lush and comfortable elements of our earthly life, requiring us to radically depend on God to lead us through the barrenness of the desert. In tandem, the Holy Spirit works with us to purge what needs purging and strengthen what needs strengthening. Through faith and acceptance of the Lord’s invitation into the desert, we enable him to awaken the gifts we need to bloom in an effort to do his will.
Cultivating Faith in the Desert
All God asks of us is rooted in beauty, goodness, and truth. Knowing that he only wills the good for us, why wouldn’t we trust him when he leads us into the desert?
Pope Francis reminds us, “When somebody has an answer for every question, it is a sign that they are not on the right road.”
The right road is the one that leads us to Heaven. When that road runs through the desert, it is tempting to doubt God’s plan for our life or question whether we’ve understood what he asked of us. The less we understand his plan, the stronger the temptation can become to rely on ourselves.
It is through the cultivation of faith and in cooperation with God’s grace that we can leverage these moments to expose and confront areas of weakness. In the desert, we must persevere with faith, lean deeply into prayer, and recognize that God is sowing the seeds for us to marvelously bloom and find the truth of our existence—at his perfect time.
Our perspective is so narrow compared to God’s. Only he sees the whole picture and understands the complete “why”—and that’s OK. We are not meant to understand the full mystery of God; instead, we are called to lean into the graces of his mystery through virtue, including faith.
Faith is the theological virtue that drives us to seek, know, and do God’s will. As disciples of Christ, we are called to keep, live, profess, and confidently bear witness to the faith in all we do, personally and professionally. While it is easy to have faith when life aligns with our narrow vision, it is much harder and more uncomfortable to have faith in times of trial and suffering.
In an address to German pilgrims, Pope Benedict XVI said, “Christ did not promise an easy life. Those who desire comforts have dialed the wrong number. Rather, he shows us the way to great things, the good, towards an authentic human life.”
None of the heroes in the Bible crossed the desert in comfort. Even God’s only son, Jesus, experienced temptation, dryness, and solitude in the desert. St. Matthew tells us that “Jesus was led by the Spirit into the desert” (Matthew 4:1). In other words, God desired for him to be in the desert, just as he desires you to be in the desert at times.
My friend, God has never failed you. He has created you to be his hero on earth. If he invites you into the desert, have faith that crossing the desert is part of your unique path to Heaven. When you cross the desert with faith in his mystery, the desert will strengthen you rather than weaken you. Continue moving forward with the confidence that God is equipping you with exactly what you need to bloom and fulfill your unique mission.
How will you respond to the Holy Spirit’s invitation into the desert?
Natasha Lovely is the CEO and Founder of Aspen & Oliva, a premier personal branding agency. Driven by an entrepreneurial and creative spirit, she purposefully integrates her expertise as a clinical therapist and storytelling marketer to guide women to architect, refine, and master an iconic personal brand that effortlessly transcends into all areas of their lives - professional and personal. Her work with individuals and Fortune 50 companies to develop talent has led to her positioning as an authority on personal branding, an expert in leadership development, and a champion of the multi-hyphenate woman. Through her passion for business, Natasha has propelled her mission to inspire women to design a life of beauty, champion all things good and true, and guide them to become thought-leaders in their fields. You can connect with Natasha through Instagram, LinkedIn, or natashalucia.com.