"NOTHING LEFT BUT GOD"

This has been a time of personal reflection for me these past several months. During this time, I have been moving through an enormous process of adjustments since my damaging TIA in August, 2008. While in this process, I have been gradually drawing closer to God. A few nights ago, I opened up a devotional called "Daily Bread" at random and came across the devotional dated for April 6, 2009. If you happen to have this devotional, you may want to read it in its entirety. What I want to do in this post is share the part that really made me think and helped me gain perspective on my present situation. It goes as follows written by Joanie Yoder, Daily Bread April-June Issue, 2009, dated April 6th:

"A wise Bible teacher once said, 'sooner or later God will bring self-sufficient people to the place where they have no resource but Him--no strength, no answers, nothing but Him. Without God's help, they're sunk'.

.....In today's Bible reading (2 Chronicles 20: 3-17), the people of Judah were also in trouble. They admitted their lack of power and wisdom to conquer their foes. All they had left was God!.... the people saw this as reason for hope, not despair. 'Our eyes are upon you' they declared to God (2 Chron 20:12). And their hope was not disappointed as he fulfilled His promise: 'The battle is not yours, but God's' (verse 15).

Are you in a position where all self-sufficiency is gone? As you turn your eyes on the Lord and put your hope in Him, you have God's reassuring promise that you need nothing more. - Joanie Yoder-

After reading this devotional, I realized it was describing MY experience since August and gradually all of those things in which I had mistakenly placed my security including "self-sufficiency" are being eliminated and now I find that I have nothing left but God to depend on.

Having said that, I thank the Lord He has blessed me with my loyal family and a few loyal friends. It is during trying times like these when a person finds out who his/her loyal friends are. Although some have deserted me in my time of need, I am reminded that all I need is God. I thank God for my wife, family and friends and His continued presence in my life.

I ask you the same question as the author,

"Are you in a position where all self-sufficiency is gone?"

Whatever you are battling today, remember that according to the Scriptures, "...the battle is not yours, but God's". (v.15)

Although I continue to struggle with developing coping skills to help me gain acceptance of my new limitations imposed on me due to my illness, I am now constantly reminding myself of this main truth that the battle is not mine, but God's.

There in lies my hope.