Before they were to enter into the Promised Land, the Israelites were led through 40 years in the desert--a place of lack, of difficulty, and also a place where the true nature of reality and of human character get revealed. It is also a place where the fact of our utter dependence on God and His grace is made clear. God's purpose for us in these "desert" times of our lives is to lead us to humbly understand who we are and recognize just how much we need God. The desert is, in fact, a good place to be.