The Comfort of God

\”The problem with God isn’t that He has been tried and found wanting, it is that He has been wanting to be tried.  People who could find all of the peace, solace and strength they could ever need and more hit bottom because they refuse to ask God for the help He willingly and lovingly offers.\” – Jerry Godsey, Third Option Men (posted on www.claudettewood.com)

Over the years God has grown me through various trials. It\’s no secret that trials aren\’t fun, even when you have the assurance that with God\’s leading you will come out the other side. It has taken a while to sink in, but I am finally learning that God is not my final option; He should always be the first one to hear the voice of my struggle.

When I first read Mr. Godsey\’s comment, I told myself that I had never really hit bottom. But now, that\’s just silly, right? The truth is that I can\’t count the number of times my \”strength\” has told me I can solve the problem alone, only to find myself deep in that pit and regretting that I waited so long to cry out to God.

Several years ago I was in a quandary about a situation in our home. I spent several sleepless nights, tossing and turning as I tried to decide how to handle the situation. It consumed my thoughts during the day as I attempted to complete my work. Finally, one afternoon, after I had exhausted every human option and exhausted myself, I cried out to God. I remember it clearly. I was on the interstate headed home with this heavy weight on my heart and mind. In a moment of desperation I shouted, \”I could really use some help here, God. I don\’t know how to deal with this.\” As I blasted this prayer to God, it occurred to me that the most important thing I should have done was actually the final thing I did. I was ashamed.

I was at work the next day when God answered my prayer. I got a phone call from a dear friend who lives many hours away from me. Her first words to me were, \”Hey, what\’s going on? God woke me up three times last night with you on my mind.\” We spoke, she shared her wisdom, and I was able to move forward toward the right decision through her encouragement. There you go.

We struggle with so many things. We hang on to so many hurts. If we hang on too long, we become bitter-hearted. It bears repeating: when you have holed up your heart behind a wall and keep everything including God shut out, it will harm your soul.

Why do we Christians forget to ask God first? After all that we have gone through in our lives, what part of us still thinks \”we\’ve got this\”? Goodness, that instance above was just one of more than I can count when I\’ve attempted to solve my own problems.

Read again what Mr. Godsey says, \”The problem with God isn’t that He has been tried and found wanting, it is that He has been wanting to be tried. People who could find all of the peace, solace and strength they could ever need and more hit bottom because they refuse to ask God for the help He willingly and lovingly offers.\”

Thankfully, we serve a God who doesn\’t get tired of our self-help attempts and cross His arms against us. He\’s the Father standing at the door, watching and waiting. A simple, heartfelt, \”Rescue me,\” will cause Him to pick up His robes and run to us. What a comfort to know we don\’t have to struggle alone.