I seem to be repenting a lot these days. Recently, I read in the Bibe about one of the kings of Judah who stopped relying on God and he went to another king for help. God was not happy. He really is a jealous God and does not like anyone to take His place in our lives. So, this king paid dearly for running to a man for help instead of God.
At that time Hanani the seer came to Asa king of Judah and said to him, “Because you have relied on the king of Aram and have not relied on the Lord your God, therefore the army of the king of Aram has escaped out of your hand. Were not the Ethiopians and the Lubim an immense army with very many chariots and horsemen? Yet because you relied on the Lord, He delivered them into your hand. For the eyes of the Lord move to and fro throughout the earth that He may strongly support those whose heart is completely His. You have acted foolishly in this. Indeed, from now on you will surely have wars.” 2 Chronicles 16:7-9
God had always helped Asa in wars against formidable armies, but someone he forgot about God’s power over all those years and turned to a mere man instead of the Mighty God. However, I cannot judge Asa because I do the same thing over and over again. Instead of running to God, I run to man or most times Google to try and figure out solutions to my problems. Often this has left me more confused than if I had just rested in the Lord and trusted Him in the first place. Within just over a week, I have read a couple Charles Spurgeon devotions that referred to not relying on God and they both convicted my heart. This was the more recent:
A convoy on many accounts would have been desirable for the pilgrim band, but a holy shame-facedness would not allow Ezra to seek one. He feared lest the heathen king should think his professions of faith in God to be mere hypocrisy, or imagine that the God of Israel was not able to preserve His own worshippers.
He could not bring his mind to lean on an arm of flesh in a matter so evidently of the Lord, and therefore the caravan set out with no visible protection, guarded by Him who is the sword and shield of His people. It is to be feared that few believers feel this holy jealousy for God; even those who in a measure walk by faith, occasionally mar the lustre of their life by craving aid from man. It is a most blessed thing to have no props and no buttresses, but to stand upright on the Rock of Ages, upheld by the Lord alone.
I realize also that it is not only man I run to when times are tough, but I have found escape in other things to try to ease my challenging seasons, instead of finding comfort in the Lord. The Charles Spurgeon devotion that I read not long ago spoke of this:
Moreover, unconverted men often run to wrong means in order to escape from difficulties, and you will be sure to do the same if your mind yields to the present pressure. Trust in the Lord, and wait patiently for Him. Your wisest course is to do as Moses did at the Red Sea, "Stand still and see the salvation of God."
Being still has never been one of my strong points. However, lately I am learning to not only quiet my body, but also to quiet my mind. I now see where being silent and calm while turning to the Lord and waiting on Him is the best thing to do. When we seek Him, He will send us help in His time and in His way, just like He did for Saul after He was blinded on the road to Damascus.
Now there was a certain disciple at Damascus named Ananias; and to him the Lord said in a vision, “Ananias.” And he said, “Here I am, Lord.” So the Lord said to him, “Arise and go to the street called Straight, and inquire at the house of Judas for one called Saul of Tarsus, for behold, he is praying. And in a vision he has seen a man named Ananias coming in and putting his hand on him, so that he might receive his sight.” Acts 9:10-12
Here is Saul, the Pharisee of Pharisee, who was in a difficult situation as he was now blind. He did not seek out his extensive list of contacts to try to help him, but rather he stayed still praying to God and while praying, God sent him help. We should use this situation with Saul as a model for our lives. Yes, God uses people to assist us, but we should not go seeking the people without first consulting God to let Him direct us to who He will use to help us or let Him direct the person who He wants to help us to find us. We often want to be proactive and sometimes reactive, and we may think that being still is being inactive, but it is not. The best thing to do is to quiet ourselves in order to seek the Lord and wait for His answers. Let us rely on the Lord.
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