This past January 2nd, I was, oh so overconfident, that the December “jinx” was behind me and only blissful good days awaited. Then God’s “think again” newsflash declared stormy seas would continue to abound!! However, the equally clear message that God, not I, would tame the gales of waves was, also, symbolically delivered!! Since then, a deluge of life’s challenges, like a rolling snowball, keep packing on layers and growing in size and shape!!
Stubborn, hard headed and presumptuous in my ability to be a “fixer”, I have over and over again reached into my God inspired tool box with desire to be God’s agent and “fix” the situation. And, over and over again, God has taken would be “fixer” tools from my grasp and left me empty handed. Eventually, not just I, but the tool box too, were exhausted. Herein, God shared His lesson I so needed to understand. “Be still and know that I am God.” (Psalm 46:10 NIV)
God does not always call us to be active and “fix” all that is in need of repair or replenishing. Being human, our power is often very limited and even, at times, nonexistent. During these moments, our course must come from remembering God alone is God and from resting in His power and peace. Only then will our being helpless not translate into our being hopeless. “And so, Lord, where do I put my hope? My only hope is in You.” (Psalm 39:7 NLT) In other words, hope does not come from me, you or any other mortal creation being able to “fix” what needs fixing. God, and God alone, is the source of all hope. Thus, to be filled with hope, we need to be brimming with God’s power overflowing and washing away our fears and inadequacies. When our hands lack the tools and ability to “fix”, hope rests in turning over all to God’s hands, knowing and believing His power always ordains the best of solutions and “soul”utions. Easy, this isn’t; but emphatically necessary, this is.
When lacking in tools to fix what is broken, we must retreat into the Lord, trusting His power to divinely heal what we cannot humanly “fix”. To do this, we must have a relationship, or history, with God. Most importantly, we must see this history as affirming “HIS story” and not declaring our desired narrative tale. Simply stated, to trust God to save the day, we must seek, find and rest in Him during our darkest nights. “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” (Matthew 11:28 NIV)
Next predicament is when our tool box is empty, what do we do with it? Better yet, what shouldn’t we do with it? Never shut it closed and store it on a shelf. Instead, leave it wide open, in the center of our reach, and be ready to once more be of assistance when God determines our “fix” is warranted. Rest assured, if and when, God calls us to a “fix”, we will not first need to make a tool buying run to Home Depot. God already will have replenished our tool box with the needed implements. “And my God will supply every need of yours according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus. To our God and Father be glory forever and ever. Amen.” (Philippians 4 19-20 ESV)
Uplifted in a Broken Down World 