Why Is this Always My LAST Resort?

Life is hard right now. This morning, my wife and I both woke up, after waking up all night, feeling the pressure of our current situation. We vented our frustrations, did what we could to move things around and fix our situation, and, after, prayed. Loved ones, please don’t mistake this as a way to get sympathy: I’m going through a tight spot right now, but I am the minor character in all of this, I assure you. I say all of this to highlight what God is showing me. Why did we pray LAST? Why is prayer, quite often, my last resort?

It seems like I often go to God when I’ve exhausted all other options. When financial situations arise, I move money around, empty out the savings to minimum acceptable levels, and pray. When I’m not finished with my work, I exhaust myself, doing what I can to catch up, and then pray. When I’m going through a personal or family crisis, I try and mend fences, I play the part of diplomat, I exhaust myself in the process, and then pray. This is not merely backwards, this is me depending on ME! This morning, as I’m going through quite a few crises (though they’re not as dire as I see them to be, I’m just in the middle of a battle), this was in my morning study:“One day he got into a boat with his disciples, and he said to them, “Let us go across to the other side of the lake.” So they set out, and as they sailed he fell asleep. And a windstorm came down on the lake, and they were filling with water and were in danger. And they went and woke him, saying, “Master, Master, we are perishing!” And he awoke and rebuked the wind and the raging waves, and they ceased, and there was a calm. He said to them, “Where is your faith?” And they were afraid, and they marveled, saying to one another, “Who then is this, that he commands even winds and water, and they obey him?” (Luke 8:22-25)

He's still asking me the same question: “where is your faith?” Just like with the disciples, Jesus sent me in to this storm, He’s with me, and He’s not panicking. Why is prayer my last resort? I should be praying before each circumstance, through each circumstance, and after, not as a way of begging God to change things, but to fix my eyes on Jesus! He is with me every step of the way! I should give Him every circumstance, lean on Him during every circumstance, and seek to be conformed to Him through every circumstance. He is my Lord and my Savior, not my fall back.  So may you be encouraged, as I am: take it to the Lord in Prayer, in every and any and all circumstances. Don’t make God your last resort, but walk through life with Him ever on your lips.

1 Thessalonians 5

Now concerning the times and the seasons, brothers, you have no need to have anything written to you. For you yourselves are fully aware that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. While people are saying, “There is peace and security,” then sudden destruction will come upon them as labor pains come upon a pregnant woman, and they will not escape. But you are not in darkness, brothers, for that day to surprise you like a thief. For you are all children of light, children of the day. We are not of the night or of the darkness. So then let us not sleep, as others do, but let us keep awake and be sober. For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk, are drunk at night. But since we belong to the day, let us be sober, having put on the breastplate of faith and love, and for a helmet the hope of salvation. For God has not destined us for wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us so that whether we are awake or asleep we might live with him. Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing.

We ask you, brothers, to respect those who labor among you and are over you in the Lord and admonish you, and to esteem them very highly in love because of their work. Be at peace among yourselves. And we urge you, brothers, admonish the idle, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with them all. See that no one repays anyone evil for evil, but always seek to do good to one another and to everyone. Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. Do not quench the Spirit. Do not despise prophecies, but test everything; hold fast what is good. Abstain from every form of evil.

Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. He who calls you is faithful; he will surely do it.

Brothers, pray for us.

Greet all the brothers with a holy kiss.

I put you under oath before the Lord to have this letter read to all the brothers.

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.