What can we do? We strive to be responsible and take care of our own problems, but many times we fail to realize the struggle that we are facing is bigger than we can handle on our own. We tend to struggle our way through many problems unnecessarily because we don’t want to be a burden to anyone else.
But who do we think we are? We feel that many times we are going at it alone…we feel that we are above certain situations, and at times feel that we can tackle all our problems. What we do not think about how much simpler our lives could be if we would simply put aside our pride and call on God to guide us through our problems.
We tend to think that we have to handle things alone, but God has made a promise to us in His word that we do not have to handle our problems alone…in fact, we don’t have to worry about them because of this promise that God has made. Jeremiah 29:11-14a states, “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will hear you. You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you.”
God promises us that we will find him if we seek for him with our whole heart, and if we feel we have problems that are too great to face, we need to seek for him and ask God to show us what is best. He has laid out a plan for our lives that is truly in our best interests, but the issue that we face today is that we tend to think that our lives are under our control, but we lose control when we stop relying on the one that has all control.
One thing we need to remember is that pride is a problem when it comes to dealing with our mental and spiritual health. If we get wrapped up in the struggles of life and neglect to trust God to get through we put unnecessary stress and strain on our minds, our relationships, and our bodies. Stress is a hard thing when it comes to our physical and mental health, and the only true remedy is putting our trust in God to help us through. Allowing God to take the reins and steer us in the proper direction.
Sure, medicines have come along that will give us a sense of happiness and help us to decompress and temporarily fight through a tough situation, but when the medicine wears off, we are back at square one, fighting our way through once again. The only way to truly overcome our stressful situations is to take them head-on and trust God to work beside us to get through them. This reminds me of the story that many have looked to called “Footprints in the Sand.”
“One night I had a dream…I dreamed I was walking along the beach with the Lord, and across the sky flashed scenes from my life. For each scene I noticed two sets of footprints in the sand; one belonged to me, and the other to the Lord. When the last scene of my life flashed before us, I looked back at the footprints in the sand.
I noticed that many times along the path of my life, there was only one set of footprints. I also noticed that it happened at the very lowest and saddest times in my life. This really bothered me, and I questioned the Lord about it. “Lord, you said that once I decided to follow you, you would walk with me all the way; but I have noticed that during the most troublesome times in my life, there is only one set of footprints. I don’t understand why in times when I needed you the most, you should leave me.”
The Lord replied, “My precious, precious child. I love you, and I would never, never leave you during your times of trial and suffering. When you saw only one set of footprints, it was then that I carried you.”
Remember today that you are not alone, and when you put your trust in God today, it is then when He carries you through.
The Glory of it All 