When things are crashing down upon you – Have Fun! Ride the power of what God says about your life, rather than what circumstance are trying to convince you of.
Joel 3:10b Let the weak say, “I am strong.”
2 Corinthians 12:9 And He (Jesus) said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.”
2 Corinthians 12:10 Therefore, I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ’s sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong.
Paul goes on to say this, in 2 Corinthians 13:4: For though He (Jesus) was crucified in weakness, yet He lives by the power of God. For we also are weak in Him, but we shall live with Him by the power of God toward you.
When things in life start to unravel we have some choices! Let’s consider a few!
1) We can do what a large number of people elect to do; respond in a knee-jerk reaction often filled with rage, fear, cursing, hopelessness, and even bitterness. The unfortunate result of this choice is the collateral damage. Someone close by gets hurt or offended by your response, and almost always your temper tantrum brings nothing of benefit into play. Like quicksand, the more you do, the deeper you sink.
2) Go quiet and bottle it up hoping in time it will all blow away! Ignore it! Hide it! Don’t deal with it at all! Granted, not as much collateral damage, but, oh, the emotional destruction it does to you personally. And still, there is no resolve to the issue. The pressure cooker builds pressure and will at some point blow up! It will blow up your relationships, your health, your job, your “whatever.” Something is going to blow!
3) Wait, plan, Attack! After mentally calculating all possible defensive positions, intellectually assess the situation, and assault verbally and physically, if necessary. You emerge victorious and prove yourself right, or righteous. It does not matter who you destroy.
4) Actually, there are a few other scenarios that we can choose. If you fit in one of them, you will automatically know. I do not have to spell them out. All of these options fail to produce the peace, health, and prosperity we desire. So how do we respond in a fruitful manner?
Choice # 5
5) When we realize our weakness, our inability to really be able to deal with it (whatever it is) and seek help! Help sometimes is found in just adjusting our own attitudes from a road-rage level to one of quiet resolve and cooperation. Other times we need a real friend or co-worker who can help us find the strength we need. But life has a way of crashing in so hard that the only answer is God intervening in our lives.
When we seek Him, we will find Him! He is always there! When we are weak, He is strong! When we need a hiding place, He is our strong tower, our safe place to run to.
According to Hebrews 12: This is a race we must endure until the end. Jesus said, “Low I am with you until the end! To the end of your race and to the end of these things bearing down upon you right now. He is with you always. He never leaves you or forsakes you. What He will do is something like, hand you a surfboard, so you can ride the waves or walk on the water. He can handle the crashing waves by commanding, “peace be still.” He can still keep the Red Sea open until you cross to the other side, my friend! What pursues you is no match for our God.
The answer is Jesus! Choice #5 needs to move to Choice #1 with no other options! Turn what the enemy has meant for harm in your life into a joy ride! Let the weak say, “I am strong!” In Christ there is great strength and joy, so Have Fun! Let God do the heavy lifting. Cast your cares upon Him for He cares for you. (1 Peter 5:7)
by Fred Hughes