Shirley
When you truly have nothing but God
Adulting is hard. No life in general can sometimes be very difficult. There are times life can happen and you can find yourself in a valley so deep and with absolutely nothing. This is despite having done all the right things like pray and everything else you thought you were supposed to do. And before we get into the meat of things can we first acknowledge that having nothing is such a horrible place to be in, it is lonely, confusing, and the helplessness of it all can be so demoralising. In fact, it is in this place where you come face to face with your own limitations as a human being and I can tell you for free that it is not a fun place to find yourself in. It is a space where you do not even understand how to hope or even have faith because it feels like you have absolutely nothing in your hands. I like to believe these moments in time are a cross road of some sort because it is here where what we believe is truly tested.
Yes, it is easier to have faith when you know there is something you can still do in your own strength or when you at least still have something in your hand. Example, it is easy to have hope that you will get a job when you have some friends or family who have promised you a possible something in the future or when you have applied for a job or jobs which you believe you are qualified for, and hence you speak faith based on something you already think you have in your hand. Nevertheless,what happens when you have nothing and cannot see any way out of the valley you find yourself in. In fact, it is just you and God in that valley. This image or thought of going through such a season can be very disturbing for most of us because success today is mostly defined by control and having nothing but God brings to mind the image of having absolutely no control. It is a space where you are forced to completely let go and truly and wholly trust God and nothing else.
A close family member recently found themselves in exactly this space, and I found myself struggling to comfort her. We had prayed and prayed, and she had hoped for something for over two years, and being the usual chirper and hopeful faith person, I would always have something encouraging to tell her when she experienced a low or when her dream was snatched right from under her. However, this time for the first time I felt like I did not know what to say or even how to encourage her as she told me, “I have nothing, I do not know what to do or where to go from here.” I remember hugging her and trying to console her as I internally cried out to God and expressed my frustration because in that moment, I truly felt like she really had nothing and I did not know how to make things better. I felt tired, hopeless and with nothing encouraging to say. All I could think of doing was standing with her in that moment so she would not be alone.
After she left, I continued talking with God which involved mostly complaining and focusing on my hopelessness, and then out of nowhere I felt a whisper in my spirit that really convicted me, it said: “Isn’t having nothing but God the best place you can ever find yourself in?” That hit me hard. I remember reflecting on this word and thinking back on my life and my experiences and the times that God had walked with me in valleys and even in seasons of prosperity, and immediately my hope was renewed because I received understanding. I remembered who God was. I remembered that God was everything. I remembered that all you ever need in this world is God.
When Daniel was put in the lion’s den for refusing to worship another god, all he had was God (Daniel 6:1-28). When Joseph was sold into slavery by his brothers and later jailed for a crime he did not commit, all he had was God (Genesis: 37, 39, 40, 41). When the lady with the issue of blood stretched out her hand and touched Jesus’s cloth for healing, all she had was her faith in God (Mathew 9:20-22, Mark 5:25-34, Luke 8:43-48). When the Israelites fled from slavery in Egypt and in search of their promised land, all they had was God (Exodus 14). When Abraham and Sarah were old and beyond their child bearing years they still believed that they would be parents because all they had was God (Genesis 21:1-22). Yes, all they had was God, and that was enough! God is enough! That is all you will ever need. If God is on your side, then you have already won, no matter how your life may look now, no matter what situation you find yourself in today, as long as you have God, you have all you need. God is enough! He is the beginning; He is the end. If you have Him you can sleep in a storm (Mathew 8:23-27). If you have Him and nothing else you do not have to worry or figure out what tomorrow will bring (Matthew 6:26-34). His yolk is easy and His burden is light (Mathew 11:28-30). Indeed, if you wait upon him, He will renew your strength (Isaiah 40:31). Further, those who wait upon the Lord, their faces are always radiant, they are never covered in shame (Psalms 34:5).
I do realise that the reason the idea of having nothing but God is so scary and horrible for most of us is because our flesh wants to have faith based on something else in our hand, often something that we believe is more tangible and gives us a false sense of security. Example, if you are waiting for the promise of a child, you want to have faith that God will give you a child, but only if you at least have one doctor who tells us that it is possible or if you at least have the security of knowing that you have money saved up for IVF just in case. However, ironically, the things the flesh often wants to hold on to alongside claiming faith are uncertain. Only God is certain. If you really think about it everything else apart from God is founded on uncertainty.
So today if you find yourself in a valley and all you have is God, be encouraged. Dare to believe and to have faith (now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen: Hebrews 11: 1), and walk into this world with confidence because you already have all you will ever need to win and conquer!
Further reading
2 Kings 6: 8-17
Elisha Traps Blinded Arameans
8 Now the king of Aram was at war with Israel. After conferring with his officers, he said, “I will set up my camp in such and such a place.”
9 The man of God sent word to the king of Israel: “Beware of passing that place, because the Arameans are going down there.” 10 So the king of Israel checked on the place indicated by the man of God. Time and again Elisha warned the king, so that he was on his guard in such places.
11 This enraged the king of Aram. He summoned his officers and demanded of them, “Tell me! Which of us is on the side of the king of Israel?”
12 “None of us, my lord the king,” said one of his officers, “but Elisha, the prophet who is in Israel, tells the king of Israel the very words you speak in your bedroom.”
13 “Go, find out where he is,” the king ordered, “so I can send men and capture him.” The report came back: “He is in Dothan.” 14 Then he sent horses and chariots and a strong force there. They went by night and surrounded the city.
15 When the servant of the man of God got up and went out early the next morning, an army with horses and chariots had surrounded the city. “Oh no, my lord! What shall we do?” the servant asked.
16 “Don’t be afraid,” the prophet answered. “Those who are with us are more than those who are with them.”
17 And Elisha prayed, “Open his eyes, Lord, so that he may see.” Then the Lord opened the servant’s eyes, and he looked and saw the hills full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.