The Real Issue

Paul tells us that the children of God that were delivered from Egypt and led toward the Promised Land of restful warfare with the enemy are examples for us to learn from. Not good examples--we are to take note of their choices and attitudes and refuse to let them become part of who we are as His children.
The wilderness was not the issue. All of God's children spend time in the wilderness. All. It's their responses to the challenges of the wilderness that we are to learn from.
They had been delivered from slavery; and yet, many of them at times thought the slavery was better than being set free. Easier. They all had their daily needs met; yet, many of them complained about how God met those needs, and what He used to meet them. They had all seen the enemy destroyed without their having to do anything. God did it all. They had all danced and sang praises for His deliverance. But many of them still feared the enemy and doubted God's power to defeat them the next time. They thought the enemy was bigger than their Deliverer. They would withhold their praises until after the victory had been won. They would not worship Him in the face of the enemy. Many wanted a God they could touch and see, even if the god was powerless and dead. Even if it was a god of their own manufacture. Some wanted God's blessing but didn't want to obey the commandments that were the source of those blessings. They didn't want a God who would be first in their lives. Then, they couldn't be first, their wants and desires. They didn't want of follow a God who would provide what they needed, but not allow them to pursue the lusts of their hearts, "I want more" eyes, and arrogant self-glorying--even if all those things would lead them to destruction.
No, the issue was not the wilderness. The issue was faith in the goodness of God in the midst of the wilderness, faith in His ability to empower them to face and defeat any enemy, submission to the truth that spiritual rest can only be experienced in the midst of the spiritual battle. They had no joy--just a complaining spirit. They had no contentment--even though all their needs were met abundantly. They were blessing despisers. They never experienced rest, contentment, victory, His love for them. They died joyless, faithless, defeated.
But the generation that followed them, a generation that went through the wilderness experience with them--the exact same wilderness experience--lived lives of victory, rest, peace, and joy in the midst of the battles with the enemy.
Joshua calls to us as he called out to them: "Choose you this day whom you will serve." Trust in His goodness, serve Him with confidence, rejoice in His daily provision, put no other gods before Him, find rest in your soul as you bask in His love and sure promises. Again, the issue is not the wilderness. The issue is your faith in who He says He is.