DON’T BE A ‘LONE RANGER’ WHENEVER YOU ARE BURDENED

BIBLE PASSAGE:
The name of the Lord is a fortified tower; 
the righteous run to it and are safe. (Proverbs 18:10)

MEDITATION:
When problems arise, or you feel overwhelmed, what do you do?
Do you try to resolve the issues yourself, or do you seek help?
Since many have a desire to always be in control, 
solving problems ourselves is a natural tendency.

But does God want this kind of independence from those who worship Him?
As children, 
we ran to our parents whenever we had problems, or hurt ourselves.
Why? Because we knew we could depend on them to help us.
That is exactly the kind of relationship God wants to have with His children.

When Paul was talking about God’s mercy and compassion, he said:
It does not, therefore, depend on human desire or effort, 
but on God’s mercy. (Romans 9:16)

Sometimes we have a tendency to rank our needs and group 
some of them in a category we call, ‘I won’t bother God with this’.
However Jesus invites us to come to Him with ‘anything’ that burdens us.
“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, 
and I will give you rest. (Matthew 11:28)
He doesn’t tell us to come to Him with only certain types of issues.

And when we come to Him, we will not be disappointed, 
because His Word assures us that He can provide what we need 
(which may be quite different than our ‘wants’).
He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. 
(Isaiah 40:29)

The Psalmist knew the importance of being dependent on the Lord.
My salvation and my honor depend on God; 
he is my mighty rock, my refuge. (Psalm 62:7)

He remembered how the Lord had already responded to his needs.
For you, LORD, have delivered me from death, my eyes from tears, 
my feet from stumbling, that I may walk before the LORD 
in the land of the living. (Psalm 116:8-9)

And as a result, he knew to call on the Lord when he was burdened and weak. 
From the ends of the earth I call to you, I call as my heart grows faint;
lead me to the rock that is higher than I. For you have been my refuge, 
a strong tower against the foe. (Psalm 61:2-3)

ACTION:
Have you been faced with overwhelming issues that seem to have no end?
God calls you to come to Him with anything that burdens or worries you.
Sometimes we fail to go to Him, because we want help immediately 
and we want to talk to someone we can see.

God’s help may not fit our timetable of expectations, 
but He is God, so His timing is better than ours could ever be.
His delay might be for the purpose of strengthening us 
in a specific area of our life.

Another reason some fail to go to the Lord is, 
we have too much pride to admit we have a problem.
Arrogant pride is an indicator of independence 
and not typical of someone who depends on the Lord.

How does God feel about pride?
He hates it!
To fear the Lord is to hate evil; I hate pride and arrogance, 
evil behavior and perverse speech. (Proverbs 8:13)

The scriptures tell us that God hates six things 
(seven are detestable to Him), and the first one listed is pride.
There are six things the LORD hates, seven that are detestable to him: 
haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that 
devises wicked schemes, feet that are quick to rush into evil, a false 
witness who pours out lies and a person who stirs up conflict in the 
community. (Proverbs 6:16-19)

The dictionary defines ‘haughty’ as, “arrogantly superior and disdainful”.
Some of the synonyms for haughty are, 
“proud, arrogant, vain, conceited, superior and self-important”.
Anything God hates should not be a part of the Christian life.

Pray,
“Heavenly Father, thank You for Your availability and help. Forgive 
me for displaying an independent attitude whenever I choose to be 
insubordinate by not coming to You with my burdens. Remind me of
how You have helped me in the past, and teach me to gladly share my
problems with You in the future, and to look forward to Your help.”

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