LENT DAY TWO: LED INTO THE WILDERNESS
“Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil… Jesus answered, ‘It is written: Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.” Matthew 4:1,4
Before Jesus healed the sick, preached to crowds, and revealed the power of God’s Kingdom, He was led into the wilderness. Not by accident. Not by mistake. But by the Spirit.
The wilderness was a place where Jesus encountered testing, silence, and dependence. There were no crowds to applaud Him. No miracles to perform. No distractions to lean on. Only hunger, solitude, and the Word of God.
In that place, Jesus shows us that spiritual strength is formed in hidden places. When comfort is removed, our true source is revealed. Our wilderness season exposes what we rely on when everything else is stripped away.
Fasting reminds us that we are sustained by more than food, more than routines, more than security. We live by every word that comes from God. When we learn to listen in quiet seasons, we are prepared to speak in powerful ones.
If you are walking through a wilderness right now (emotionally, spiritually, or relationally) do not assume God has abandoned you. He may be developing you. He may be deepening your trust. He may be strengthening your faith for what is ahead.
Reflection Questions
What areas of your life do you currently feel stretched, uncomfortable, or uncertain?
How can you lean more fully on God’s Word during this season?
TODAY’S AFFIRMATIONS:
God is forming me in quiet places.
I trust Him in every season..
KINGDOM MARKER
Spiritually committed believers learn to depend
on God in every season, not only in times of abundance and overflow.
TODAY’S PRAYER:
Lord, in the same way that you led Jesus out into the wilderness, lead me to the place where I will experience you in a different way than before. In this wilderness season, teach me to depend on Your Word more than my comfort and to trust You alone. Form my faith in quiet places so I am prepared for the purpose You are leading me toward. Amen.
RESISTING THE SHORTCUT
Fri., February 19, 2026
"By the sweat of your brow you will eat your food until you return to the ground..." Genesis 3:19
Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of the Lenten season. Believers around the world take a moment out of their day to visit a spiritual leader who will draw a cross on their forehead. On this day, we are reminded of a truth that we sometimes avoid: that we are human… we are finite, fragile… we are formed from dust and sustained only by the grace of God. “From dust you have come, and to dust you shall return” is not meant to frighten us, but to humble us. Without the titles, the pride, the achievements, and the illusion of control, we are reminded that every breath we take is borrowed from God.
As we remember our frailty, Jesus calls us to repentance and renewal. This is good news because it means that our story does not end in dust. God takes what is ordinary, broken, and temporary and breathes divine purpose into it.
Ashes teach us that life is short, and God’s mercy is great. The ashes invite us to slow down, take a deep breath, examine our hearts, and realign our lives with what truly matters. This season begins on our knees so that we may learn how to walk in humility and faith.
REFLECTION QUESTIONS
What areas of your life have made you feel self-reliant instead of God-dependent?
How does remembering your humanity change the way you approach God today?
TODAY’S AFFIRMATIONS:
I am dust, sustained by divine mercy.
The God who formed me delights in caring for me.
KINGDOM MARKER
Humility positions us to become spiritually committed citizens of God’s Kingdom.
TODAY’S PRAYER:
Lord, I know that You have made me from dust. I also know that eventually I will return to dust. Help me, Lord, to keep my mortality in perspective, stay focused on You and the work that You have called me to in Your Kingdom, and help me to be a reminder to others of how great and mighty You are. Amen
