"I am now going to allure her; I will lead her into the desert and speak tenderly to her." (2:14)
So very true about the similarities of how God treated Israel then, and how He treats us His children today. The portion of Scripture you use here is very similar to Proverbs 3:5-8 which reads ..." Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the LORD, and depart from evil. It shall be health to thy navel, and marrow to thy bones"... Even if He directs our paths out to the wilderness, we can rest assure that it is Him directing the path, and that it is His will we will learn. The key of course is that we trust Him with all our hearts, and the way things are going right now, I believe that a wilderness experience is what the LORD wants for all of us at this time.