It is probably of little surprise that very few of these over a billion pages suggest turning to God in your time of trouble. But if I'm being truthful, I need to confess that my first instincts are not to always seek God in my time of suffering. I'm much more prone to try to fix the situation (s) myself.
Yet the fact that we have so many words devoted to this subject is a telling display of our own pride and self-reliance. There is nothing that I can do, say, imagine, manipulate, or reason, that will truly answer the question, "What to do when nothing is working out?"
"But still I try."
It seems very foolish when I read those words in print, shouting testimony to my own foolishness, trying to seem strong and wise but sinking deeper in my own quagmire with each retelling.
"But still" - Here is the beginning of the problem, hoping for an different outcome while utilizing the same resources that I previously have brought to bear. How can I fail to see the foolishness in my own thinking? And worse, I reset my internal fortitude to start and attack the situation just like I've tried countless times before. It's like pressing the reset button on your favorite game, playing it the exact same way that got you killed each and every other time, yet expecting a different result! The Bible is clear that this is the act of a fool.
"But still I try."
It seems very foolish when I read those words in print, shouting testimony to my own foolishness, trying to seem strong and wise but sinking deeper in my own quagmire with each retelling.
"But still" - Here is the beginning of the problem, hoping for an different outcome while utilizing the same resources that I previously have brought to bear. How can I fail to see the foolishness in my own thinking? And worse, I reset my internal fortitude to start and attack the situation just like I've tried countless times before. It's like pressing the reset button on your favorite game, playing it the exact same way that got you killed each and every other time, yet expecting a different result! The Bible is clear that this is the act of a fool.
But still I disregard my need for God, pushing Him away like a toddler set to try to accomplish an impossible task without an educated knowledge of the situation. And this part is crucial, God will let me be the captain of my ship. Even though He knows the pain I will experience and the damage I will wreck, because of His love for me He will step aside, allowing me to grab the controls all the while I'm heading for the rocks ahead. I heard in a sermon once that God is the ultimate gentleman, He will give us whatever room we desire, and still patiently restore us when we fall. But there will come an end to His patience, especially if I'm His child.
Sometimes He will not only allow me to command my destiny, He will bring situations into my path designed to show me the utter futility of my decisions. He will bring to bear the least amount of pressure necessary but it will increase with each shove that I perform, insistent in my own abilities, clothed in my pride and stubbornness. Then, finally, I will reach the total end of myself, wrecked upon the discouragements and pain of life, unable to rescue myself and without His intervention doomed to despair. Now I want to be clear, this is not the reason for every trial that you and I face. Sometimes we face trials to strengthen our reliance upon Him. Sometimes it is the enemy, allowed by God Himself, to test our obedience and faithfulness. But sometimes it is my own foolishness, my isolation from Him, my insistence upon getting my own way, that causes the obstacles in my life to grow in their stature.
"I" This has been the problem since the beginning of time, I. I know better, I deserve more, I want my own way, I don't want to have to listen to anyone else, I refuse to hand over the keys of my life to my Creator. Adam and Eve started this chain of selfish thinking but we have all had our hand in the till since the days in the Garden. Cane wanted his offering to receive the same respect that his brother Cain's did. Moses desired justice and committed murder. Jacob wanted a greater inheritance and deceived his father. Lot wanted to live where he wanted to live and it almost cost him everything. Samson wanted pleasure outside of God's law and because of his disobedience his nation fell to their enemies. David wanted a woman who was not his wife and killed an innocent man who died while protecting David's kingdom. The list is almost endless. Man's failure to submit to His Creator remains the biggest problem facing all humanity today. Without obedience there can be no blessing. And the greatest blessing we can hope to achieve is fellowship with an Holy God.
"Try" This word is actually an oxymoron in this sentence. Just like there is no crying in baseball there is no try without God. The Bible is very clear that apart from Him I can do nothing. I remember hearing Steven Curtis Chapman declare at one of his concerts that apart from God, he couldn't even tie his shoes. At the time I scoffed at that statement. Now I marvel at his wisdom. To hope for an answer to any of life's problems without consulting God is to continue to push against the wind. If I want to learn how to truly deal with all that life is going to throw at me, if I want to thrive instead of dive, I have to recognize the source of all truth. God. Without Him, there is futility. With Him, there is hope.
In James 4:2, God tells us that if we will draw near to Him, He will draw near to us. This is one of the sweetest promises in all of scripture. Despite our rebellion, despite our apathy, our hatred of what is best for us, despite our persistence to cling to our perceived kingdoms, God remains willing and ready to restore us to our true position, a child of the King. I can't imagine the self-control necessary for our Holy God to remain devoted to His children while they remain dedicated to their own self-rule. I have lost track of the amount of times that I've cried out in despair for God to restore me and He is always faithful to do so.
Sometimes He will not only allow me to command my destiny, He will bring situations into my path designed to show me the utter futility of my decisions. He will bring to bear the least amount of pressure necessary but it will increase with each shove that I perform, insistent in my own abilities, clothed in my pride and stubbornness. Then, finally, I will reach the total end of myself, wrecked upon the discouragements and pain of life, unable to rescue myself and without His intervention doomed to despair. Now I want to be clear, this is not the reason for every trial that you and I face. Sometimes we face trials to strengthen our reliance upon Him. Sometimes it is the enemy, allowed by God Himself, to test our obedience and faithfulness. But sometimes it is my own foolishness, my isolation from Him, my insistence upon getting my own way, that causes the obstacles in my life to grow in their stature.
"I" This has been the problem since the beginning of time, I. I know better, I deserve more, I want my own way, I don't want to have to listen to anyone else, I refuse to hand over the keys of my life to my Creator. Adam and Eve started this chain of selfish thinking but we have all had our hand in the till since the days in the Garden. Cane wanted his offering to receive the same respect that his brother Cain's did. Moses desired justice and committed murder. Jacob wanted a greater inheritance and deceived his father. Lot wanted to live where he wanted to live and it almost cost him everything. Samson wanted pleasure outside of God's law and because of his disobedience his nation fell to their enemies. David wanted a woman who was not his wife and killed an innocent man who died while protecting David's kingdom. The list is almost endless. Man's failure to submit to His Creator remains the biggest problem facing all humanity today. Without obedience there can be no blessing. And the greatest blessing we can hope to achieve is fellowship with an Holy God.
"Try" This word is actually an oxymoron in this sentence. Just like there is no crying in baseball there is no try without God. The Bible is very clear that apart from Him I can do nothing. I remember hearing Steven Curtis Chapman declare at one of his concerts that apart from God, he couldn't even tie his shoes. At the time I scoffed at that statement. Now I marvel at his wisdom. To hope for an answer to any of life's problems without consulting God is to continue to push against the wind. If I want to learn how to truly deal with all that life is going to throw at me, if I want to thrive instead of dive, I have to recognize the source of all truth. God. Without Him, there is futility. With Him, there is hope.
In James 4:2, God tells us that if we will draw near to Him, He will draw near to us. This is one of the sweetest promises in all of scripture. Despite our rebellion, despite our apathy, our hatred of what is best for us, despite our persistence to cling to our perceived kingdoms, God remains willing and ready to restore us to our true position, a child of the King. I can't imagine the self-control necessary for our Holy God to remain devoted to His children while they remain dedicated to their own self-rule. I have lost track of the amount of times that I've cried out in despair for God to restore me and He is always faithful to do so.
