The wilderness is a place of desolation. Life as we are familiar with, either plant or human, is not capable in such a place. There is no sufficient water or vegetation.
Spiritually speaking the wilderness has similar meanings. It is a “phase” of our life that occurs where we feel abandoned by God (possibly). There are certain circumstances that have occurred that have caused pain and suffering, either through death, finances, marriage, children. Etc. There is emptiness, a certain loneliness that we feel during this time. Anxiety and fear grips us because we don’t know exactly what is going on. Although such statements are generalizations, I am almost sure that everyone understands what I am talking about because each one of us has felt something similar or same.