Articles
When Life Throws You A Curveball
Most of us would like to think we have things figured out fairly well, and that we have some grand plan for our lives that will turn out pretty much as we would like. If you’re old enough, though, you have probably already seen that life doesn’t always go as planned; in fact, we have probably learned that life seldom goes as planned. That money you saved for a new car went to replace your water heater and repair the damage from the leak; the guy you thought was your best friend just told you to get lost; that vacation you were anxiously anticipating got canceled due to the coronavirus; and on and on we could go.
Sometimes, we get caught in what seems to be a death-spiral of increasingly negative and discouraging events or incidents, and we start to lose hope of ever returning to any measure of normalcy, and we might even begin to despair somewhat if we can’t seem to see that proverbial “light at the end of the tunnel.” In such times and situations, where do we turn? What do we do? Do we plod onward, denying reality? Do we call in reinforcements? Do we throw up our hands and surrender? Do we give up? Do we simply quit trying, and admit defeat? And for those, particularly, who are Christians, what is the answer?
Consider the story of David and Goliath. When David went to check on his brothers, he saw the Philistine giant defying the army of Israel and God Himself, and wondered why no one was answering his bold challenge (cf. 1 Sam. 17:20-26). To the Israelite army, this challenger was an insurmountable foe, and they “fled from him and were dreadfully afraid” (1 Sam. 17:24). From their viewpoint, they were simply incapable of standing up against this giant of a man, and they had no answer, no solution, and no escape.
But David did go out to meet this giant of a man on the battlefield, though he was merely a shepherd boy. He did not cower in fear like the true soldiers of Israel, but went out knowing without a shadow of a doubt, “The Lord, who delivered me from the paw of the lion and from the paw of the bear, He will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine” (1 Sam. 17:37). And when he stood and faced Goliath, though Goliath mocked him, David boldly said, “This day the Lord will deliver you into my hand, and I will strike you and take your head from you…He will give you into our hands” (1 Sam. 17:46, 47).
You see, David knew that as long as the Lord is with us, it doesn’t matter how big our enemies may appear to be, how bold they are, or how hopeless the fight may seem. He had a history of deliverance by God’s hand that he could look back on, and he trusted that God would deliver him again. He knew God was with him, and that was enough.
When defeat seems to be inevitable, remember God’s people will have the ultimate victory.
Consider also the story of Elisha and his servant at a time when the army of Syria was making war against Israel. But because of the intervention of God, through Elisha’s warnings, the Syrian king was frustrated at every attempt to attack, to the point he believed there was a traitor among his servants (2 Kings 6:8-11). When they told him that the failures were due to the prophet Elisha, the Syrian king then sent his army to find him and eliminate the cause for his numerous failures; they found him in Dothan, where they surrounded the city with a great army with horses and chariots (2 Kings 6:12-14). When Elisha’s servant stepped out and saw the situation, he went and told Elisha, “Alas, my master! What shall we do?” (2 Kings 6:15).
At that point the servant of Elisha believed they were in peril, with no apparent way of escape. But Elisha did not fear, and told him, “Do not fear, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them,” and then prayed, “Lord, I pray, open his eyes that he may see.” The servant’s eyes were opened and he saw “the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha” (2 Kings 6:16, 17). The entire Syrian army was then struck blind and Elisha led them back to Samaria and the king of Israel, and they were eventually sent back to their homeland, and they never invaded again (2 Kings 6:18-23). Though the situation seemed hopeless to his servant, Elisha could see what the servant could not see at first: God was with them, and God was infinitely more powerful than an entire nation’s army.
When it seems we are surrounded and the odds are overwhelmingly against us, don’t forget God is greater.
Consider, also, the life of the apostle Paul. On one occasion, he was imprisoned and accused of “things worthy of death” but, upon examination by the authorities, they could find nothing worthy of even the chains (cf. Acts 23:29). But because of political machinations, he was held in prison until finally being brought before King Agrippa. It was there that Paul — who had faced the threat of his own life, being wrongly imprisoned for merely preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ — stood before Agrippa and said, “I think myself happy, King Agrippa, because today I shall answer for myself before you concerning all the things of which I am accused by the Jews” (Acts 26:2). Paul was not afraid; he was happy!
On another occasion, while imprisoned in Rome, Paul wrote to the disciples in Philippi and told them, “Christ will be magnified in my body, whether by life or by death. For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain. But if I live on in the flesh, this will mean fruit from my labor; yet what I shall choose I cannot tell. For I am hard-pressed between the two, having a desire to depart and be with Christ, which is far better” (Phil. 1:20-23). At that time, Paul was not certain he would be released, or if he would face death, but he was prepared either way; life meant he could continue the work of helping them to grow in their faith, and death only meant he would receive the reward for which he had lived and hoped.
Similarly, when Paul wrote to Timothy what are likely some of the last words, he confidently declared, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing” (2 Tim. 4:7, 8). Though death awaited him, Paul knew something greater would follow: the reward promised to the faithful. In each of these last two cases, Paul did not face death with fear and dread, but with confidence and joy!
Even if death is a possibility, remember God’s promised reward of eternal life.
Did you note the common factor in all these examples? Did you see what allowed all these individuals to face difficult situations without fear or despair? The common factor in all these examples [and many more] is that they knew God was with them. They did not fear because they knew God was with them! They did not give up because they knew God was with them! They did not despair because they knew God was with them!
Brethren, don’t let any situation, anyone, or anything make you think you are defeated, as long as you stand with God, and God stands with you. Remember Paul’s question: “If God is for us, who can be against us?” (Rom. 8:31). Remember, too, God’s promise to the faithful: “I will never leave you nor forsake you” (Heb. 13:5).
Don’t fear the curveballs. Don’t give up. Don’t despair. — Steven Harper
