To Live is Christ — all else abandoned

Yesterday’s questions in family Bible school prompted discussion about those times when it is difficult to trust God. Everything seems broken, painful, and out of control. Where is God? Does He know what He is doing? Is His Word really true? Sometimes we have taken things into our own hands (and found out later the folly of it), but there are  situations when all our resources are depleted and it seems as if God has taken a vacation.

Sometimes I feel like that in regard to prayer. I pray and pray about certain people or needs and nothing happens. One week of this isn’t a big deal, but after years of prayer for His intervention and nothing happens, I wonder if He is listening. Then sometimes I pray once about something and my prayer is answered specifically and in a surprising way. This is one of the things that I don’t understand about the ways of the Lord.

In all of this, and no matter how dark things get, I’ve learned one important thing — what else or who else is there? If I cannot trust Almighty God who revealed Himself and His love for me in the Person of Jesus Christ, what or who can I trust? Myself? That is ridiculous. Other people? They are too much like me. Other gods? There are none.

I do know that the people who say that God is dead have never been to the end of their rope. We are just too much like the man in the little joke who fell off a cliff, grabbed a tree root on the way down, and was desperately shouting, “Help! Is there anyone up there?”

Finally a voice responded. “Hello down there.”

The man was elated. He said, “Who are you? Please help me.”

The voice said, “I am God, and I will help you, but first you have to let go of that tree root.”

Silence. Long silence. Then the man shouted, “Is there anyone else up there.”

I don’t understand myself much less God, but I know I am sometimes like that man. God asks too much, and I want safety, now! I don’t want to be left without anything to hang on to but words, even His words. Yet when I have been without any other resources, He teaches me that He is there and that He does keep His promises.

One of the women in our discussion group compared these times to a roller coaster ride. There are points along that ride when all you want is to get off, but you cannot. The only option is to hang on. You know that the ups and downs will cease and you will safely reach the end. You know that the current fears and distress will pass, but in the middle of it, all you can do is trust the One who controls the ride.

My verses today tell me one other thing I can do when my helplessness has me grasping for tree roots. I can remind myself of the truth about God and keep my eyes on Him. Instead of shouting out my fears, I need to shout out words like these:

Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles! Laud Him, all you peoples! For His merciful kindness is great toward us, and the truth of the Lord endures forever. Praise the Lord! (Psalm 117:1–2)