Dark and Dreary Waste

1 Nephi 8:7

And it came to pass that as I followed him I beheld myself that I was in a dark and dreary waste.

In Lehi's dream, his being in the dark and dreary waste was not a mistake. He did nothing wrong, nor was he being punished. In fact, the man in the white robe, who symbolized the Holy Spirit, led Lehi into the wilderness deliberately. My wilderness experiences are not punishments but opportunities to learn and grow. In fact, when I am at my very best and most in tune with the Spirit, it may be the very moment that the wilderness looms before me. If I continue to follow the Spirit into the dark and dreary waste, as Lehi did, I will eventually end up where the Lord wants to take me.

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