False confidence?

Now therefore hear this, you lover of pleasures, who sit securely, who say in your heart, “I am, and there is no one besides me; I shall not sit as a widow or know the loss of children”: These two things shall come to you in a moment, in one day; the loss of children and widowhood shall come upon you in full measure, in spite of your many sorceries and the great power of your enchantments. You felt secure in your wickedness; you said, “No one sees me”; your wisdom and your knowledge led you astray, and you said in your heart, “I am, and there is no one besides me.” But evil shall come upon you, which you will not know how to charm away; disaster shall fall upon you, for which you will not be able to atone; and ruin shall come upon you suddenly, of which you know nothing. Stand fast in your enchantments and your many sorceries, with which you have labored from your youth; perhaps you may be able to succeed; perhaps you may inspire terror. You are wearied with your many counsels; let them stand forth and save you, those who divide the heavens, who gaze at the stars, who at the new moons make known what shall come upon you. Behold, they are like stubble; the fire consumes them; they cannot deliver themselves from the power of the flame. No coal for warming oneself is this, no fire to sit before! Such to you are those with whom you have labored, who have done business with you from your youth; they wander about, each in his own direction; there is no one to save you. (Isaiah 47:8–15)

A television series featured one character that had the attitude that no matter what happened, it would turn out fine. One of my friends is like that too. Neither one trusts God for ‘fine’ even though this positive attitude seems to be working for them, at least some of the time.

A pessimist might argue. The dictionary calls this person a prophet of doom. In a recent study of optimism, neuroscientists found an interesting principle: optimists shared similar patterns of activity in a key brain region when they imagined future events, but each pessimist’s brain patterns was unique. 

They were looking for the difference because optimism is associated with better physical, mental and social health. But the above Scripture adds another factor — an optimistic attitude also needs to be based on reality. In the OT audience that Isaiah was speaking to, the people wanted a positive future, but because of their sin, it was not going to happen. Their optimism was based on a strong ‘I want’ rather than on the will of God. The reality is that fighting with God and winning is not likely, no matter how positive I feel about the outcome.

I’m reminded of that book about the power of positive thinking. My dad was hooked until I said, “No matter how positive I think, I can never be an opera singer.” That burst his bubble. He knew how I sounded. 

The fans rooting for their hockey team in the NHL playoffs hold up signs saying “BELIEVE” as if their confidence will make winners out of the team, but that does not work either. Confidence in me and my plans seems right, but it does come with a warning:

Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go into such and such a town and spend a year there and trade and make a profit”— yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes. Instead you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that.” As it is, you boast in your arrogance. All such boasting is evil. (James 4:13–16)

Some of us are not optimistic, meaning me. I’m more apt to think that I can’t do something. For this, James adds: “So whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin.” (James 4:17)

Jesus, You are very good with attitudes and guidance as long as I’m trusting You and not myself or my feelings both negative and positive. Trusting myself never works out and how wonderful that You care and want me to do the right thing — and will let me know what that is. All I have to do is listen to You instead of my own thoughts and emotions.

When God’s people suffer…

“Behold, blessed is the one whom God reproves; therefore despise not the discipline of the Almighty. For he wounds, but he binds up; he shatters, but his hands heal. He will deliver you from six troubles; in seven no evil shall touch you. In famine he will redeem you from death, and in war from the power of the sword. You shall be hidden from the lash of the tongue, and shall not fear destruction when it comes. At destruction and famine you shall laugh, and shall not fear the beasts of the earth. For you shall be in league with the stones of the field, and the beasts of the field shall be at peace with you. You shall know that your tent is at peace, and you shall inspect your fold and miss nothing. You shall know also that your offspring shall be many, and your descendants as the grass of the earth. You shall come to your grave in ripe old age, like a sheaf gathered up in its season. Behold, this we have searched out; it is true. Hear, and know it for your good.” (Job 5:17–27)

Job’s friends tried to justify his suffering by telling him that God allowed all his troubles as discipline for wrong-doing, and that those who please Him will live without problems. This is a typical conclusion for many Christians who have never suffered very much. We tend to think that God is blessing us because our good behavior has earned it. Therefore the opposite must be true and we deserve those problems.

It is true that God does bless the lives of those who obey Him, but He also uses trials to make us grow. Trials are not always punishment, as the book of Job reveals in its beginning. Satan said Job would never trust God if God didn’t play nice with Him, therefore God allowed Satan to bring tragedies to this man’s life to prove that faith in Him was more powerful than anything that threatened it.

In other words, some of what we suffer is not chastening or correction. It might be a test, or it might be an attack to win our hearts to the enemy’s lies. In such cases, pretending ‘all is well’ would be a lie. The struggle with those lies reinforced by tragedy upon tragedy is very real. Job didn’t know this was a contest for his affection and trust. All he knew was the pain of his losses and the agony of his body. He refused to be a hypocrite when asked how he was doing by glibly replying “Fine” when his world had fallen apart. He told the truth about his feelings:

Then Job answered and said: “Oh that my vexation were weighed, and all my calamity laid in the balances! For then it would be heavier than the sand of the sea; therefore my words have been rash. For the arrows of the Almighty are in me; my spirit drinks their poison; the terrors of God are arrayed against me. (Job 6:1–4)

Yet in his suffering, his heart knew the truth. Even as he struggled with pain and loss, he was still able to say, “But he knows the way that I take; when he has tried me, I shall come out as gold.” (Job 23:10) Eventually God bailed him out. 

I know a tiny bit of that journey. Some days are simply rotten and I want to die. It might be physical pain or a horrid sense of despair without reason. And I say, “God, if this has purpose for my good and Your glory, so be it. If not, You know what to do.” At that, the situation usually goes away, making it a much condensed version of what happened to Job. And the test to see if I will trust God even in a trial is over, even quickly forgotten.

This is the nature of spiritual war. The battles usually happen right after a vital obedience, yet as He promises, God uses even this stuff for my good. 

Jesus, life with You is an adventure. I have days of struggles, surprises, unexpected events, and test after test. You have blessed me with energy for much of it, long naps when needed, and joy even in the messy parts. Abundant life? Sometimes I want ‘ordinary’ or ‘normal’ but realize that is not the promise that goes with walking with You.