Dear Bruce and Favorite Things

Dear Bruce,

I am facing a situation that is overwhelming.  I am not sure how I got to this place, not sure why, and I am certainly not sure what purpose there is in this debacle I am in.  I have thought about it, talked about it, cried about it, gotten angry about it, and at times have just tried to ignore it because I am so exhausted.  I cannot see this working out to my advantage and I am left wondering where God is in all of this.  Can you offer me some advice?

Dave

Dave,

As the saying goes, “If I had a dime…” I would, indeed, be a rich man.  Your situation, while it may feel unique in terms of the details, is really quite common.  All of us, at one point or another, in one way or another, face similar situations.  For some its relational, for others physical, for others its financial, and for others its professional or something else.

While it may not be good news to know that many others are in the same boat, it should at least remind you of the fact that challenge and life are inseparable.  This is important because our first inclination, when facing big issues, is to run for cover, pray for a quick fix, and hope for comfort and ease.  What we need to realize in moments such as the one you are facing is that God is aware, and more than that, actively working in, with, and through your situation.  In fact, in retrospect, we often look back and realize that what was first perceived as a sure dead end, turned out to be a moment of opportunity for growth.

This brings me to our third installment for the week in terms of our focus on Favorite Things about God.  Your situation is one which highlights one of the fantastic realities of faith.  God is in the odds beating business.  Throughout scripture, time and again, we see stories of men and women of faith who were down and out on luck, underdogs in a great fight, and at a total loss for a situational fix.  But God…

David faced an armor wearing, rage prone, fearless, weapon toting giant as tall or taller than the most freakishly large NBA player.  He was a much smaller guy, and was armed with the less than all powerful sling shot.  But he came to the fight in confidence that the God who had intervened on his behalf in the past would do it again.  Clearly the underdog, David walked into the arena of battle and faced an overwhelming demonstration of power, strength, and terror.  At the end of the day, David stood victorious and His view of God had been enlarged.

Likewise, amidst the battlefields of our lives, we too are offered the all conquering power of God regardless of what we face.  Even as everyone around you is betting the farm on your demise amidst your current fight, you can stand firm in the hope and promise that God can and will carry the day as you follow Him into battle.  As followers of God, we have no need to fear any man, woman, or enemy.  There is no opponent, physical, mental, emotional, financial, or otherwise, which matches the ability of God.

What we must focus on in times of great difficulty is God’s desire to demonstrate to everyone looking in that He is the One who carries the day.  God often places us in situations or allows situations to develop in our lives which will leave us with no other option but to rely upon Him.  It is in those moments, when all the bets are being placed against us, that we must go “all in” and bet the farm on Him.

So, the answer to your dilemma, and the favorite thing for the day are one in the same.  As followers of Christ, we must hang our faith hat on God’s ability to carry the day amidst all odds.  One of my favorite things about Him is that He desires to show Himself true amidst the most hopeless of situations.  The ability to walk through the wilderness of life with the knowledge that the journey with God is still intact is an amazing source of hope and strength.

Regardless of the nature of your struggle you can take heart knowing that God does His best work when the odds are stacked against His people.  This theme, this favorite thing, is demonstrated in scripture from beginning to end.  Do not trust in your ability to manipulate, fix, or scheme your way out of this one.  Do not attempt to match blow for blow against a superior foe.  Allow God to lead you into the battle and rely on His principles of warfare, and watch Him carry the day as He fights for you, protects you, and leads you on to victory.  His strategy may look much different from the ones offered to you by others, but you must trust Him.  His weapons may not look familiar to the worldly mind.  And His call to you may nudge you in unexpected directions.  In the midst of your present situation be careful to sense where He may be leading you, and be open to a new direction.  It may be that He is bringing you an entirely different focus for your life at this time.  Enormous difficulties often become glorious opportunities to experience, know, and follow God in new ways.

In the fight with you,

Bruce Smith

optimuslife.org (please donate at optimuslife.org by clicking on the “donate” button)

This entry was posted on 9. May 2008 at 09:11 and is filed under Dear Bruce. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response or trackback from your own site.