When You're At the End of Your Rope

Dia dhuit readers! (That’s hello in Gaelic). I’m not sure how many of you have read the book Radical by David Platt, but if you are looking for a good, challenging book I highly recommend this one. I have read it 4 times and each time God speaks to me differently. The past few days Jenna and I have been planning some big events for our ministry here. I was beginning to feel inadequate for the job God has asked me to do. Truthfully, some days feel impossible.

I know some of you are feeling that way. Feeling like life is just too hard, God has called you to do something that is just too big, or he is asking you to give up too much.  But here is the thing…. It’s not about you. Harsh I know. Sorry about that, but it’s true. You see, when we are at our weakest and it feels like too much, that is when God is at His strongest. In the words of David Platt…

“In direct contradiction to the American dream, God actually delights in exalting our inability. He intentionally puts his people in situations where they come face to face with their need for him. In the process he powerfully demonstrates his ability to provide everything his people need in ways they could never have mustered up or imagined. And in the end, he makes much of his own name.

            Consider the story of Joshua outside Jericho, a strong city with massive walls surrounding it. Certainly Joshua was anxious about leading the people of God in his first battle as commander. I can only imagine the sense of inadequacy he felt as he contemplated the task before him.

            That’s why, at the end of Joshua 5, we see him alone, wondering about the combat that lies ahead. But suddenly God appears. In that moment God promises Joshua that his side will win the battle, and he gives Joshua the plans.

            You can almost picture Joshua as he listens, thinking, What will it be? A frontal assault? A trick of some kind? Or just lay a siege and starve them out?

            Put yourself in Joshua’s shoes as you hear these battle plans:

       March around the city once with all the armed men. Do this for six days. Have seven priests carry trumpets of rams horns in front of the ark. On the seventh day, march around the city seven times, with the priests blowing the trumpets. When you hear them sound a long blast on the trumpets, have all the people give a loud shout; then the wall of the city will collapse and the people will go up, every man straight in.

           Let’s be honest. That’s weird. If you’re Joshua, you’re wanting a second opinion at this point.

            Why did God design this battle plan for taking the first city in the Promised Land? Don’t miss what God was doing. He was divinely orchestrating the events of his people so that in the end only he could get the glory for what would happen. Read the rest of Joshua 6, and you will see them take the city of Jericho just as God had outlined. But notice carefully what you don’t see. You don’t see all the Israelites going up to the trumpet players and telling them what an incredible job they did that day. I can almost hear them now: ‘Abashi, I’ve never heard you play that well.’ ‘Nimrod, when you hit the high C, that was beautiful, man.’ No, instead you see the people of Israel realizing that only God could have done this.

            This is how God works. He puts people in positions where they are desperate for his power, and then he shows his provision in ways that display his greatness.”

Today, if you are feeling overwhelmed and unsure how you will accomplish the big tasks in front of you, that’s GREAT! This means that God is going to work through you just like he worked through Joshua. Get ready.