I’ve had problems in my life I thought I could handle on my own. And I’m bad about letting them 'go on and on' without resolving the issue. In the end, what usually happens is they will spiral out of control; growing larger and more complex, until I find myself wishing I had asked for help in the beginning instead of waiting until it was too late to do so.
I’m an ignorer. I let things go. That never solves anything. Left unresolved, small problems grow into larger problems and denial is no excuse. When it reaches that point, then my nature is to blame someone else. Unfortunately you can only get so much mileage out of the blame game before you are back at square one, facing your problem all over again and by this time it is much worse. They grow, you know?
When everything else is exhausted, then I usually throw my time and energy into the situation, hoping to pound the problem into submission by brute force. My will-power and stamina versus an ever-worsening situation, head-to-head and man-to-man. Sometimes I make a little progress, but again, it is a hard realization when you come to grips with the fact that the problem is too tough and you are in over your head. It is when I reach this stage that I give in, give up, and ask for help from someone stronger than me.
When it comes to judgment, we can’t ignore G_d. We cannot distract G_d by pointing our finger at someone else. We do not look better when we do so, except maybe in our own eyes. Finally we cannot work our way back into G_d’s favor with our own good deeds and careful planning. The chasm between us and G_d is too wide and too deep. In the end, we fail to meet the standard that has been set for us by His Law as recorded in His Word. This is truth. This is honesty. This is… reality.
Is there any hope at all left for us? Is there a way for us to be made right in G_d’s eyes? Can we escape His righteous judgment which we know is waiting for us in the end? In the first few chapters of Romans, Paul has given us a spiritual beat-down. He has explained how we are all sinners and how we have missed the mark. Finally we move on to chapter five, and he records a grand statement, maybe the most profound verse you’ll find recorded in the Bible:
“But G_d commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” Once we understand how lost we truly are, then we can begin to comprehend where we stand on the totem-pole of spirituality. We are sinners, lost, helpless, and unable to take care of the problem on our own. But G_d has made a way. While we were in the depths of sin and despair, He sent His Son to die on the cross as payment for our sins.
That verse, the one everyone knows? After reading the first few chapters of Romans, its truth becomes apparent and we can better understand the meaning behind, “For G_d so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”
We are lost without hope, facing a dark and dreary eternity ahead of us. We can’t disregard G_d and hope He will look the other way or pretend He doesn’t exist. We can’t distract G_d by pointing out all of the faults we see in our neighbors. Finally, there is no way we can make the grade by simply performing enough good deeds or living a decent life. We have to give in and accept what He, G_d, has already done for us. He provided the solution to our sin-problem that we inherited honestly from Adam.
“That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that G_d hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.” It is that simple. You just give in and accept what he has already done for you. No strings attached. No hidden meaning or fine print to mull over. Just a mere acceptance of what He did by faith and a belief in the One He Sent. In fact, you can accept Him today, taking care of your sin and thereby making yourself right in His eyes. You’ll be glad you did!
Take it from someone who has learned when to face a problem and also knows when to ask for help.
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