Desert Seasons: The Truth About Belonging To God

Belonging is one of life’s most profound needs. We all experience seasons of integration and disconnection with God, ourselves, and others. These “desert seasons” test us, making us question where we stand. But even in those tough moments, one thing never changes: you belong to God.

Matthew 4 recounts a pivotal moment in Jesus’ life. After His baptism, Jesus spent 40 days fasting in the wilderness, facing three significant temptations. Each challenge revealed a truth about God, human identity, and how we’re meant to live.

The number 40 carries deep significance in the story. It reminds us of when God’s people spent 40 years in the wilderness, and God’s faithfulness never wavered. As God’s people cried out for food, God provided bread (called manna in the story). God’s provision met their physical needs.

Jesus’ temptation echoed this story. When Satan tempted Him to turn stones into bread, Jesus responded, “People won’t live by bread alone but by every word spoken by God” (Matthew 4:4).

This statement points beyond our physical needs to our deeper hungers and longings. Jesus, the Word, is the source of nourishment that never runs out. God will sustain us.

In the second temptation, Satan brought Jesus to the highest point of the temple and challenged Him to throw Himself down. This test wasn’t about physical survival; it was about identity. Satan wanted Jesus to prove His status as God’s Son by forcing God to rescue Him.

Throughout the first half of the Bible, God’s people often believed that if they got their worship practices perfect or perfectly understood scripture, God would favor them. Their thinking went, “If we follow all the rules, God will favor us. If we mess up, God will abandon us.” This mirrors a struggle we all face: tying our worth to our performance.

Jesus rejected this mindset, responding, “Don’t test the Lord your God” (Matthew 4:7). His belonging to God and identity as God’s Son didn’t depend on his behavior, nor does yours. You are not defined by how perfectly you perform or how many boxes you check. You belong, and God will not leave you or reject you.

The final temptation brought Jesus to a high mountain. There, Satan showed Him all the kingdoms of the world, offering control of them in exchange for worship. The temptation wasn’t just about power; it was also about prioritizing civic superiority and being worshipped.

Jesus’ response was swift: “You will worship the Lord your God and serve Him only” (Matthew 4:10).

In the first part of Bible, God’s people often had experiences with God on mountain tops. Their thinking was that if they worshipped God correctly and earned God’s favor, then other nations would worship them.

This temptation resonates deeply today. We’re often tempted to prioritize status, power, or personal gain. Jesus reminds us that life isn’t about accumulating influence. We are made to worship, not made to be worshipped. Worshiping God is about aligning your heart with His.

Throughout these temptations, Jesus stayed rooted in His identity. This was established at His baptism, where God declared, “This is my Son, whom I love” (Matthew 3:17). This unshakable belonging gave Jesus the strength and confidence to face trials and overcome them.

In ancient Jewish culture, belonging was based on heritage, passed down through males. One couldn’t become un-Jewish. Jewish boys were circumcised on the eighth day, marking them as part of God’s covenant people before they could do anything to “earn” it. After Jesus, when the church began to spread to non-Jewish people, baptism began to serve a similar purpose.

Baptism is a public declaration of faith and a reminder that your identity is in Christ. No matter how challenging life becomes, baptism symbolizes God’s promise that you have always, will always, belong to Him.

Receiving and accepting belonging changes everything. God’s love and loyalty can give us the confidence to face life’s trials, the courage to resist temptation, and the freedom to live authentically.

This is especially powerful during life’s desert seasons. When you feel alone or inadequate, remind yourself that your belonging is rooted in God’s unchanging love and faithfulness. You don’t have to strive for it—it’s already yours.

If you’re struggling to feel connected to God, here are a few practical steps to help you embrace your belonging:

1. Meditate on Scripture: Focus on verses that remind you of your identity in Christ, like Romans 8:38-39, which assures us that nothing can separate us from God’s love.
2. Consider Baptism, or Remember Your Baptism: Reflect on the significance of this moment and reminder that you are God’s beloved.
3. Pray: Ask God to help you see others and yourself as God does, to love others and yourself as God does.
4. Surround Yourself with Community: Engage with others who can encourage and remind you of God’s promises.
5. Celebrate God’s Faithfulness: Keep a journal of how God has worked in your life. Recalling His faithfulness can strengthen your trust in His unchanging love.

Belonging to God isn’t just a comforting idea; it’s a transformative truth. It shifts your perspective, fuels your resilience, and shapes how you navigate life’s challenges.

When Jesus faced the wilderness, He leaned on the truth of His identity and God’s love and loyalty. You can do the same. No matter what you’re facing, remember that you are God’s beloved. You belong to Him—not because of what you’ve done, but because of who He is.

So when you find yourself in a desert season, remember this: Your belonging is secure. It doesn’t depend on your performance or circumstances. It’s rooted in God’s love, which never fails.