I am disappointed in myself. I have been struggling with the truth that God still desires me to follow Him and place the challenges around me into His care, and not try to fix them myself. The truth is: God doesn’t need me to get things done. God may invite me to be a part of the solution. He may use me in the process, but He doesn’t need me.
This is the same God who parts a sea to protect His people while they appeared to be trapped. This is the same God who opened up the earth to swallow up those who would mislead His people. This is the same God who turned enemy armies against each other while His people stood watching with broken jars at their feet and torches in hand. This is the same God who shakes the earth and removes the chains from prisoners. (I am just scratching the surface here!)
Our God doesn’t need me to get things done. He may use me in the process, but He doesn’t need me.
I think too often we elevate ourselves and our self-worth or skill believing that we can be “game-changers.” When we look at ourselves we can easily buy into the lie that we are difference-makers. I am not so sure we are. We may want to be… but I am not so sure we are. My guess is that the difference-maker – the game-changer – is not so much a description of us, but rather a picture of the One who works through us. In fact, we forget that this One has the power and ability to work through a literal donkey (see Numbers 22:21-39), so perhaps we should not think so highly of ourselves!
Friends, too often we misplace the respect and honor that only God deserves by taking credit ourselves. And likewise, too often we jump in and try to “fix things” that cannot be fixed by our power and our understanding. We would do well to bring the concerns to God (even though He is already aware of them) and ask Him to do what only He can do – provide a miracle.
I am not sure about your situation and surrounding right now, but I for one have a stack of needs before me. I am aware of situation after situation that can only be fixed by the miraculous hand of God upon it. I have friends who have been diagnosed with diseases who are desperate for a miracle of healing. I have friends who need a miracle regarding their job – or the provision of one. There are people I love and care for whose future seems to be held in the hands of the court system. Loved ones who are struggling with grief and loss, loved ones fighting against physical pain, anxiety, depression, and relationship challenges – friend, I can’t even list them all! They all need a miracle! Not from me. From my Father. From the miracle worker Himself.
When I try and jump in and play the part of savior, and God hasn’t explicitly directed that involvement from me, I believe I am once again sinning against God. I am not keeping Him first. I am not recognizing Him as LORD. I am operating out of pride and a lack of trust.
Friend, may we as believers in a mighty God live a life of trust in a mighty God. Let’s seek Him. Let’s ask Him to save. Let’s ask Him to speak, and give us ears to hear.
In the meantime, we would do well to humble ourselves before our holy God. I love the words out of the book of Psalms where David (a man after God’s own heart) has blown it and is confessing his sin before the Father. I think we would do well to adopt his words as our own when he says, “Purify me from my sins, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow. Oh, give me back my joy again; you have broken me – now let me rejoice. Don’t keep looking at my sins. Remove the stain of my guilt. Create in me a clean heart, O God. Renew a loyal spirit within me. Do not banish me from your presence, and don’t take your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of my salvation, and make me willing to obey you.” (Psalm 51:7-12)
Help us to fully trust it all to you, O LORD. And forgive us the times when we have believed we were capable of doing what only you can do. Help us never to doubt your presence. Help us to never doubt your plan. Forgive us and create new hearts within us we pray. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Blessings!