Matthew 14:15
"And when it was evening, his disciples came to him, saying, This is a desert place, and the time is now past; send the multitude away, that they may go into the villages, and buy themselves victuals."
Jesus had taught the crowds all day, and when the evening was come the disciples thought that He should send them home because there was no food for them to eat. They saw the negative of the situation which in reality seemed like a real problem that could not be overcome. Jesus, on the other hand, saw the opportunity of the situation. Instead of sending them home, Jesus took the food he had, which was five loaves of bread and two fish, and turned it into a feast with twelve baskets of food remaining when they were done. What seemed like a big problem in the desert was truly turned into an opportunity by our Saviour.
You have a choice in life to look at your desert and see the negative, or you can roll up your sleeves and get to work and turn it into an opportunity for God to get the glory. Every situation you face is either a problem or an opportunity. It is like what a man I worked for years ago said when I approached him with what I saw as a problem. He said, "In this company we don't have problems, we have opportunities to learn and work." That statement turned my mindset around to look at my desert and turn it into an opportunity. There are some things you must do when you are faced with your desert.
First, determine you are not going to let your desert be a problem. Jesus didn't let the desert stop Him, but He turned it into an opportunity which allowed Him to teach another truth to the crowds. Your mindset towards your desert will determine whether or not it becomes an opportunity.
Second, take what you have and start working with it. Jesus didn't complain about what He didn't have, but He took what He had and started working with it. You can stop progress because you don't have enough, or you can continue progress and work with what you do have. Your desert will stay dry and barren if you only look at what you don't have. Take what you do have and do the best with it. Make what you have better than what it is.
Third, work with what you have as if you had what you needed. This is so important to turning your desert into an opportunity. Don't work as if you have nothing, but work as if you have everything. Organize as if you have what you need. One of the greatest reasons God doesn't give people more is because they never organize themselves for more than what they already have. If you organize and work as if you are not going to get more, then there is no reason for God to give you more. God only gives you what you are prepared to receive; therefore, work with what you have as if you already have it.
Fourth, ask God to bless your faith and work. It always takes God for miracles to happen. When God sees your faith in His ability to do something, your preparation and organization as if you already have it and your work ethic that sees the opportunity of His blessings, then He will step in and reward it. How you view your desert determines whether God should even consider blessing. Don't let your desert stay barren, but ask God to turn it into an opportunity and prepare, organize and work as if He has already given it to you.