What do you do when help isn't on the way?

In conjunction with my last blog, the idea that I am trying to get across is that "need" is a much bigger term than we might imagine. Sometimes what the child of God needs is to go through a period of need. In this we first must understand that God is not violating his promises, simply because we do not get. The idea of a faith that runs no deeper than, Lord please don't let it rain on our beautiful picnic, is not going to sustain you when a crisis of health, finance or loss of a loved one inevitably hits.

Problems that far outweigh our resources are what make us rely on God. The destruction of self-reliance is what occurs in the process. So, for those of you who tell any one of the millions of people who are hurting right now, to just get up and go fix their situation: Shut up, you don't know what you are talking about. No kidding, as I was writing this, I struck up a conversation with a woman who has an degree in management, working on her masters; and she has been out of work since August. Look, there are people everywhere that are struggling to survive on a scale that hasn't been seen in our life time. It has been 83 years since the great stock market crash. It is not easy, and running around kicking people in the seat of the pants is a shameful.

Back to my point, the destruction of self-reliance is what is supposed to happen in a trial. God wants us to depend on Him. Why else would He give us such a gracious offer to come boldly before His throne with whatever concerns us? It is that He wants us dependent on Him, for everything. We are dependent on Him for every beat of our heart; it is the sinful flesh that does not want to admit that.

So, how about the help that isn't coming? Rejoice, that is what James tells us. If you don't get what you need, then maybe what you need is to go without for a time. Why? Tell me something, how is God going to use you to minister to somebody, if all you can say is, "sorry, let's talk about something else." God is creating in you a person who can help when another is in trouble. Help that will mean so much more because you have been "through it." Listen, kind eyes and a reassuring voice only come by experience. So, when you endure all kinds of trials, because you are faithful, rejoice: because God is at work in you.