Our lives have changed drastically in the past few weeks as we’ve been dealing with the coronavirus. Things change daily, and we aren’t sure what will happen next. It may seem that our world is out of control, but God is still in control.
Our city of Memphis just went under the new order of “Safer at Home,” meaning we should stay home unless we have an essential job. Most of us have stocked up on food and other items as we plan for several weeks of staying home. We are allowed to go to the grocery store, but the shelves are pretty empty, so it’s not a successful venture.
Sometimes when life gets overwhelming, we begin to struggle with anxiety and fear. What if . . . ? I admit I’ve had anxious thoughts and at times said, “Lord, I don’t know what to do.” And every time I say those words, they remind me of Jehoshaphat’s prayer in 2 Chronicles 20:12:
“For we are powerless before this great multitude who are coming against us; nor do we know what to do, but our eyes are on You.”
Jehoshaphat gave us a great example to follow in these times of uncertainty and overwhelming circumstances. As I look at his prayer, several things stand out to me:
1. He recognized his inadequacy to deal with the situation.
“For we are powerless…” He knew this was bigger than he could handle on his own.
2. He knew what he was up against.
“…before this great multitude who are coming against us.” He didn’t minimize the problem or ignore it. He acknowledged how big the problem was, but he didn’t let it paralyze him.
3. He admitted his need for help.
“Nor do we know what to do.” It’s ok to admit we don’t know what to do in an overwhelming situation. It’s good to acknowledge our inadequacy because that opens the door for God to work.
4. He looked to the Lord for help.
“Our eyes are on You.” He knew where to turn for help.
The next time you find yourself in an overwhelming situation and you don’t know what to do, look at Jehoshaphat’s prayer and look to the One who alone can walk you through it victoriously. Make Jehoshaphat’s prayer your prayer. “Lord, I don’t know what to do, but my eyes are on You.”
I covered this prayer in more detail in the Bible study On Bended Knee by Moody. If you’re looking for a Bible study on prayer during these stressful days, I hope you’ll check it out. I also shared this post on a Facebook Live video for my Women’s Ministry.
Your town sounds a lot like ours. I’m studying James and this morning’s verse was 1:17 that says God is the Father of heavenly lights, with whom there is no change or shifting shadows. Praise the Lord! He is steadfast. Stay safe, sweet friend!
It’s good to hear from you, sweet friend! I was thinking about going to Blue Ridge in May, but I’m holding off for now until we see how things go. Would love to see you in person! Thanks for sharing that verse this morning. So good!
Been at home for 5 weeks now because of the stay at home order for Los Angeles. The following passage has been a comfort to me.
Trust in the LORD with all your heart,
And lean not on your own understanding;
In all your ways acknowledge Him,
And He shall direct your paths.
Proverbs 3:5-6
So many times I fall back on my understanding and try to figure things out. He is teaching me to trust Him, and when I do I experience His faithfulness in directing my steps.
Cindy, that is a great passage for these times. Thank you for sharing this. And yes, God is teaching us to trust Him during this time and not try to figure everything out. We just take one day at a time. Thank you for sharing!