How to Navigate Destiny and Grow Through Seasons of Obscurity

The Wilderness Experience: How to Navigate Destiny in Seasons of Obscurity

There are moments in every journey when life slows down, visibility drops, and progress feels painfully suspended. For many people walking the road of destiny, this period is called the wilderness — not because it is barren of meaning, but because it is rich with lessons that cannot be learned anywhere else.

In the latest session of the ThriVe With Babs series, Babs Oladele guided attendees through one of the most foundational chapters yet: understanding, embracing, and maximizing the wilderness experience as part of the journey of destiny. This highlight captures the essence of the conversation for those who could not attend.

1. Destiny: A Universal Concept, A Personal Journey

Babs opened the session by grounding the discussion in a simple but profound truth:

Destiny is universal in concept, but deeply personal in definition and execution.

Many people talk about destiny, but few understand its dynamics. This series — now in its 53rd installment — aims to remove the mystery, strip away religious overtones, and approach destiny as a human journey of meaning, purpose, decisions, and growth.

Previous sessions (all available on YouTube) have explored how destiny unfolds, how opportunities are recognized, and how inner clarity shapes outward progress. This week’s focus zoomed in on one unavoidable phase: The Wilderness.

2. The Wilderness: God’s Classroom for Character Formation

What Is the Wilderness Experience?

Drawing from Scripture, history, and personal development wisdom, Babs described the wilderness as:

• A season of obscurity — where you are unseen, uncelebrated, and largely unknown.
• A classroom for character — where weaknesses surface, and strength is forged.
• A pause before promotion — a transition zone between calling and fulfillment.
• A place of breaking and building — where your habits, mindset, and maturity are tested.

Whether one references the Israelites’ 40 years, Jesus’ 40 days, or the shaping seasons of modern leaders, the pattern is consistent: great destinies pass through lonely corridors.

The wilderness is not punishment. It is preparation.

3. Why the Wilderness Matters

Babs emphasized three core reasons why this season is non-negotiable:

a. It Detoxes Your Motives

In obscurity, you learn whether you want success for validation or for assignment. Praise is absent, applause is silent, and you are forced to confront yourself honestly.

b. It Develops Your Inner Strength

Without the pressure of public scrutiny, you can:

• Build discipline
• Form habits
• Heal emotionally
• Learn deeply
• Strengthen spiritually

c. It Teaches You What Success Will Demand Later

The Israelites received laws, patterns, and structures in the wilderness that later governed an entire nation.
Your wilderness deposits — insight, resilience, systems — become your future survival tools.

4. Five Ways to Make the Most of Your Wilderness Season

This was the heart of the session: five practical strategies to help anyone transform a dry season into fertile ground.

1. Analyze the Causes

Before blaming life or fate, Babs encouraged honest reflection:

• Did certain decisions lead here?
• Were there warnings ignored?
• Is this a phase of growth rather than a consequence?

Clarity is the first step toward transformation.

2. Set Guardrails

Guardrails are systems that prevent repeat mistakes.

These include:

• Better habits
• Healthier boundaries
• Clear priorities
• Avoiding environments that triggered the downfall

Guardrails turn wisdom into structure.

3. Strengthen Yourself Spiritually

Whether through prayer, meditation, Scripture, or devotionals, spiritual fortification is crucial.

This is where identity stabilizes, hope strengthens, and fear loses its grip.

4. Invest in Self-Development

The wilderness gives what busy seasons rarely allow: time.

Time to:

• Study
• Learn new skills
• Read deeply
• Refine your craft
• Build competence quietly

Babs referenced mentors like Jim Rohn, Shakespearean literature, African proverbs, and biblical narratives as sources of wisdom that have shaped him.

5. Turn Insights Into Solutions

The wilderness is not only for survival — it is for creativity.

Babs urged attendees to:

• Convert lessons into frameworks
• Turn reflections into articles or books
• Build products
• Create tools or systems
• Prepare material for the next season

You should not leave the wilderness empty-handed.

5. Avoid the Two Common Pitfalls of the Wilderness

Babs issued a gentle warning:

❌ Don’t Become Bitter

Bitterness blinds, blocks, and delays destiny.

❌ Don’t Become Depressed Into Inactivity

Pain is real, but paralysis is optional.

Productivity — even quiet, unseen productivity — heals.

6. Sources of Wisdom During Difficult Seasons

The conversation broadened into how to feed the mind and spirit during hard seasons. Babs shared his personal learning ecosystem:

• The Bible — treated as literature, wisdom, a case study, and a life guide
• Jim Rohn — his primary mentor for life understanding
• African sayings — rich in cultural insight
• Shakespeare — unmatched in human psychology
• Personal development authorities — for clarity and discipline

The wilderness is a library, not a prison.

7. Preparing for the Final Session: Managing Success

The session concluded with a reminder of the upcoming final chapter in the “Navigating the Journey of Destiny” series:

Topic: How to Manage Success
Date: Sunday, December 7, 2025
Time: 6 PM Nigerian Time (5 PM UK)

If the wilderness teaches survival, the next session will teach stewardship — how to handle success without self-sabotage.

Attendees were encouraged to:

• Watch previous sessions on YouTube
• Join the WhatsApp group for daily quotes
• Subscribe via the website
• Invite friends
• Come ready for closure and deeper insight