Why are so many Christians struggling with addictions, sins, depression, heartache, grief and loss? I know people are on their knees almost every day crying out to God saying “please help me overcome this, show me the way through, take this from me Lord.”
Where is God? Where are the blessings of His promises?
I was just reading a blog post over at Women of Faith about partnering with God and trusting Him to rule our lives. Over and over again I read about or speak to people who are struggling to overcome something like alcoholism or bitterness or any other issue in their life. One theme that is a constant thread through each person is that they are doing the struggling. They are trying to come up with the strength to break through their problem.
They keep praying for God’s help and wondering why He isn’t giving them stronger self-control or showing them how to overcome their pain. The problem is, you can’t do it. God wants to BE your answer, not give you an answer.
In the past couple of years I’ve been hit with claustrophobia attacks. I’m talking about full out, I’m-going-to-die-if-I-don’t-get-out-of-here panic attacks. Even going into a car wash was enough to bring on devastating panic. Of course I prayed about it. Of course I asked God to take it away. Then I came across a fairly obscure verse from Habakkuk. Did you even know there is a book of Habakkuk in the bible? I didn’t. 🙂
Habakkuk 3:19 in the amplified bible says: “The Lord God is my Strength, my personal bravery, and my invincible army; He makes my feet like hinds’ feet and will make me to walk and make progress upon my high places ”
The Lord does not give me the strength to overcome. He IS my strength. He is the one who is brave for me so I don’t have to be. He doesn’t want me to do the work, solve the problem, or heal my own pain. He is the answer. He will do the work. My job is to trust Him, worship Him, seek Him always, and abide in the shelter of His wings.
God created us for Himself, to live in communion and fellowship with Him. For this reason He doesn’t not give us the power to handle all of life by ourselves. If that were the case, there would be no need to draw near to Him and seek Him presence or His companionship. He will use those hard things of life to get our attention. This is how He turns even the most difficult of life’s challenges into blessings. If we let Him, if we run to Him, He will step in and be our strength, our bravery, our invincible army, our comfort, our provision, our hope. He is the answer.
Now, when if I sense the sickening weight of dread in the pit of my stomach that indicates claustrophobia is coming on, I don’t even attempt to tough it out and muscle my way through it. I go right to the Lord and hide in the shelter of His wings.
Where is God in times of need? He is right beside you waiting for you to stop trying and start abiding.