Forty!

Moses spent the first forty years of his life walking confidently through the golden courts of Egypt, a prince with power and promise. But after one tragic mistake, he found himself in the backside of a desert—not as a leader, but as a shepherd. For forty years, he worked for his father-in-law, Jethro, tending sheep that weren’t even his own. From palace to pasture—it looked like a fall from grace. But in that quiet, hidden season, God was shaping Moses for a destiny greater than Egypt ever offered. He was teaching him patience, humility, and how to hear His voice in the stillness of the wilderness.

Then there’s the Israelites. Their journey from Egypt to the Promised Land was supposed to take just forty days. However, due to fear and unbelief, it lasted for forty long years. Still, God didn’t abandon them. He walked every step of that desert road with them. He gave them food from heaven, water from rocks, and a cloud to guide them by day and fire by night. Even when they stumbled, He stayed. It wasn’t just a delay—it was a season of becoming.

Jesus too had His own “forty” moment. Before He ever preached a sermon, healed the sick, or raised the dead, He went into the wilderness. For forty days, He fasted and faced the full weight of temptation. It was hard. It was lonely. But it was necessary. And when He came out of that season, He was full of power, ready to step into the purpose for which He came.

Remember Noah? It rained for forty days and forty nights while he and his family stayed safe inside the ark. As the waters covered the earth, God was wiping away the old and preparing to make all things new. The flood wasn’t just judgment—it was also a fresh start.

Consider Elijah, the prophet. After a moment of great victory and then crushing fear, he ran into the wilderness and traveled forty days and forty nights to Mount Horeb. There, in a cave, God didn’t speak through wind or fire—but in a gentle whisper. Elijah’s journey of exhaustion became a place of deep encounter.

And what about the city of Nineveh? When Jonah finally delivered God’s message, he declared that the city had forty days to repent. Amazingly, the people listened. They fasted, prayed, and turned from their evil ways. And God, in His mercy, spared them. That season of forty became a moment of redemption.

These “forty” moments in Scripture remind us that waiting is not punishment—it’s preparation. Obscurity is not abandonment—it’s refinement. The wilderness is not the end of the story—it’s often the beginning of something beautiful. You may be in your season of forty, feeling forgotten, hidden, or stuck. Maybe it seems like things are moving too slowly, or not at all. But dear friend, God hasn’t forgotten you. He’s not punishing you. He’s preparing you.

The same God who walked with Moses, sustained Israel, covered Noah, fed Elijah, forgave Nineveh, and stood with Jesus in the desert—is with you right now. And when He’s done, you won’t just come out, you’ll come out stronger, wiser, and ready for the next chapter He’s writing for your life.

Trust the process. Because in God’s hands, even the wilderness is full of wonder.

“And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace… will Himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you.”