When You Need God to Step In

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Have you ever been in that place where the more you try the messier it gets? Maybe you thought you would help – but it didn’t!

Or you were impatient, took a shortcut - then wished you hadn’t?! Or maybe the pressure in the moment led to a decision and now you’re in over your head.

Sometimes we face situations or setbacks we would not choose or temptations we should not choose, then lament.

I’ve learned by personal experience and by others that when we goof up, God is at work behind the scenes using the messes we or others make for some greater good.

Don’t lament, look for Him.

At a time of Israel’s destruction because of a mess of their own making the prophet Jeremiah was crushed, stressed, and miserable. He needed God to step in and penned Lamentations 3:21-26.

When you’re overwhelmed by circumstances or overtaken by sin God is not distant. Whatever your lament, look for Him (v. 40-41).

Jesus is at work behind the scenes and ready to step in:

1. When What You Thought Would Help Doesn’t (Gen. 20:1-11).

• “Because I thought” (11) is a bad plan. You can expect stress when the pressures of life cause you to stretch the truth with good intensions (2). Then God steps in (3, 7).

• Abraham ignored another issue that only got worse and put his life on hold. In ch. 13 God graciously steps in. He uses strife to separate us from and deal with what we can’t or won’t.

2. When You’re Frustrated by Your Lack of Progress (Num 22:20-35).

• Balaam was not careful to follow God’s plan and finds himself pinned. He got mixed up with the wrong people and impulsive. Ignorance of God’s word isn’t bliss, it’s dangerous.

• Sometimes a lack of progress causes us to lash out (25-27). When it does, look out. God is stepping in to reveal your sin or slippery slope and stop your mess in the making (28-32).

3. When You Run Out of Stamina, Supplies, or Face Setbacks (Josh. 10:8-14).

• You can “run on empty” a long time in the middle of God’s will. Don’t worry, worship. Pray, pursue, persist – pray some more! Then get ready to praise Jesus when God steps in.

• You don’t have to wait until you run out to make your request. God lacks nothing and amid your setback has an abundant supply. So, ask expectantly (Phil. 4:13-19, Eph. 3:14-21).

I’ve experienced God stepping in. But the greatest was when face down on my floor I asked Jesus in repentance and faith to save me from the mess I made – my sin. You can too (Here’s how).

When you’re in that place where the more you try the messier it gets and you need God now, stop lamenting, and look! He’s working behind the scenes for the greater good, and ready to step in.