Don’t Wait for the Crisis
“Don’t be afraid, for I am with you. Don’t be discouraged, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will hold you up with my victorious right hand.” Isaiah 41:10
The advances in technology and information have moved us further and further into autonomy. How many of us have googled our symptoms (or even self-treated) before consulting a doctor? Why would you want to take time off of work to sit in a doctor’s office with a bunch of sick people if you can treat yourself at home? I’m not saying that’s the smartest thing to do. I just wonder how many of us have taken that approach.
Sometimes we get so “smart” that we don’t think we need God, that is until something happens that makes us hit our knees. Before the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001, that killed almost 3,000 Americans, we thought we were doing pretty good. This belief was reflected in the polls of that time that showed religion was on the decline. In the week following the 9/11 attacks, however, church attendance jumped dramatically. Houses of worship were jammed with parishioners seeking refuge, community, and a place to grieve. Social analysts say that people turn to religion in times of crisis and instability.
Why is that? It’s because we feel out of control. We feel like we can’t fix this ourselves, so we have to look outside of ourselves for help. But the truth is, even in times of stability, we are not in control, we only think we are. Only God knows when the rug will be pulled out from under us again. And only God will be there to uphold us, to give us the strength and courage we need to round the next corner.
Maybe you’re in a crisis situation right now and you know you don’t have what it takes to navigate this on your own. Or maybe you’re floating along just fine. Everything’s coming up roses for you. I encourage you. Don’t wait for the crisis, the diagnosis, or the loss to put your faith and hope in the One who will strengthen you and help you. Trust Him now. He promised to hold you up with His victorious right hand even now before the crisis hits.