The year was 1979 so there were no cell phones and we had no way to stay in touch with our friends or call ahead for help. So we walked. And walked. After the third hour, walking under the summer sun no longer seemed like an adventure. It was becoming a marathon, an endurance test. After the sixth hour it started to feel like a test of survival. Finally, around 8:00 that evening, we reached a town that had a mechanic and most importantly, a water fountain. Parched, and exhausted, I had discovered that my resources were not unlimited and that there were some challenges that not even youth could overcome.
Fast forward almost forty years and I can recall several times in my life where I was forced to confront the reality of my powerlessness. But the trait of stubbornness (which I have in abundance) can also mean that God sometimes will have no choice but to allow circumstances to become soul crushing in their weight before I admit defeat. Even now, I'm ashamed to admit that my go-to-reaction is often to depend on my own capabilities rather than relying upon God. This trait is what the Bible calls foolishness.
It is impossible to continue down the pathway of faith until pride and self-reliance are discarded. Only when I reach the end of my own limits can I appreciate the limitless power of my God. Psalms 34, one of my favorite chapters of the Bible, talks about how God is close to the brokenhearted and to those who cry out for help. My personal opinion is that God is banished to the outskirts because of my pride, not His lack of compassion. God presence and proximity is more dependent on the need for the obliteration of my walls of self-reliance then His resistance to our cries of help. Billy Graham put it this way, "When we get to the end of ourselves, we get to the beginning of God."
In each relationship that we nurture, there is action and commitment required by everyone involved. In Psalm 34, the writer reminds of our responsibility while navigating life's trials and troubles. In the first verse we are told, "Praise the Lord at all times, I will constantly speak His praises." (Psalm 34:1) So we can see that the first step to allowing God to work in our situation is an acknowledgement of God's unlimited power and with that proclamation, a recognition of our limited resources. We also find ourselves at our first intersection of faith - do we believe that God has the power to intervene and change our trial? And the second part of that question is do we believe that He will choose to move on our behalf?
This is where a discerning understanding of scripture is required. For instance in Psalm 34, we have this promise, "The righteous person faces many troubles, but the Lord comes to the rescue each time." (Psalm 34:19) At face value, without an understanding of the world we currently live in, this promise seems to imply that God will rescue us in every trial we encounter. I can recall several friends and family that were devout believers who ultimately succumbed to their fights with disease, mental health, financial ruin, deteriorating relationships and more. I'll bet you can as well. So either God's Word is a lie or there is something more involved in this promise. Since I believe that God cannot lie, ("In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began." Titus 1:2) I'm left to mediate on a deeper meaning to this promise. And this is where a lot of believers, (and trust me I'm not immune to this thinking . . . ) in their fatigue, fear, anger and discouragement, discard their faith in a loving God when they reach the end of their selves.
But if God cannot lie, what does this promise mean for believers? It means the same thing for us that it meant for Jesus, that we are going to face suffering in this life but ultimately God is going to rescue each one of us and we are going to reside with Him for all eternity. There are some promises for this world and there are some promises that will be fulfilled in the world to come. Which is also why God reminds us in Hebrews that without faith it is impossible to please God. (Hebrews 11:6) If life after our conversion to Christ was free from trials and troubles we would never have a need for dependence upon Him. Life will one day be perfect, but it will not happen on this side of eternity.
After we establish the truth of God and His promises, we can then move to the next step, crying out to God. "I prayed to the Lord, and He answered me. He freed me from all my fears." We can pray to God, knowing that He is close to the brokenhearted and will hear our cries. Another helpful verse is, "For God gave us a spirit not of fear, but of power and love and self-control." (2 Timothy 1:7) Another verse in Psalm 34 reminds us of God's eternal character, "Taste and see that the Lord is good. Oh, the joys of those who take refuge in Him!" (Psalm 34:8)
It is at this point that God may gently remind us, if necessary, of areas of obedience in our lives that may be contributing to the trials we are facing. Please listen, this is not always the case, but if it is obedience and repentance is required before God will intervene in our situation. "Turn away from evil and do good . . . The eyes of the Lord watch over those who do right; His ears are open to their cries for help." (Psalm 34: 14-15)
Now we can rest in the promises and goodness of God and His Word. "But the Lord will redeem those who serve Him." (Psalm 34:22) "After you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace who has called you to His eternal glory in Christ, will Himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you. To Him be the dominion forever and ever. Amen." (1 Peter 5: 10-11)
And here are a couple more verses as you traverse through this life and it's struggles. "Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go." (Joshua 1:9) "There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear." (1 John 4:18) "Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me." (Psalm 23:4) And finally, "It is the Lord who goes before you. He will be with you; He will not leave you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed." (Deuteronomy 31:8)
