When I Don’t Know What to Do

May 16

So, there I was, minding my own business reading the Daily Bread as part of my morning time alone, when I came across a passage of scripture that resonated with me … and maybe with you, too. As the writer explained her point, using Jehoshaphat as her example, she quoted this passage from 2 Chronicles 20 as his armies faced overwhelming odds.

“[We] will cry out to you in our distress, and you will hear us and save us”. He also asked for guidance, saying, “We do not know what to do, but our eyes are on you.”

How often have you been in that place when you are at your end and truly don’t know what to do? I’ve spent plenty of nights in that bad hotel. I’ve wasted time twisting myself around a problem trying to work out a resolution. Maybe you, with me, invested too much effort just trying to keep your life together all by yourself. We end up like that guy I remember from the Ed Sullivan show spinning plates balanced on bendy sticks, racing from one to the other, frantically moving so none will fall. (Here he is BTW for your entertainment.)

This rings true to me because of a time many years ago. I had left my work as a pastor and for months chased a cop job in Bend. The church was generous with a severance package which would soon run out. After waiting to hear about the job for weeks, finally the police chief called to tell me that he would not be hiring me to the force. We were out of money and insurance with few prospects on the horizon. Thoughts of a house payment, two littles and a trusting wife all kept me up that night, and several afterwards. It was a scary and humbling time, and just like King J, I didn’t know what to do. But over the next months God led us through that very rough patch and towards a career in teaching that proved to be so much better than Al-the-cop would ever have been.

This story from the older testament provides for us an example of humility in the face of a full date book, or a toxic work situation, or a health crisis, or a relationship on the rocks, or like in our case wondering how we would pay the bills. This king had decades of experience. He had plenty of knowledge and lots of resources, but in front of him stood a seemingly insurmountable challenge. instead of late night game-planning, he prayed. He told God the truth. He admitted he wasn’t up to this task. And the interesting part is the king did all this in front of the whole assembly of his people and leaders. He admitted his limitations and resisted the urge to posture for effect.

If you read the passage, God gives King J the way forward. For him, it was a military victory, for you it will undoubtedly look quite different. From this story of a long-ago event emerge a handful of principles any of us can apply when life gets messy.

Don’t hide your situation or concern from those you are with. King J laid it all out through his prayer in front of his leadership and whoever was listening. There is little good in pretending all is fine when it is not. You might be surprised to see where your answer might come from.
It sure looks like the king was plenty humble in all this. For us, in our Instagram age where people’s image is curated to look all together, humility can be a rare commodity. Like Clint said, “A man’s got to know his limitations.” So, admitting needs is a healthy step toward solutions.
The honest admission, “We don’t know what to do” is part of the solution, but the key is the next phrase, “…but our eyes are on you.” Our walk with God is not a solitary stroll through the briars. As we let God be God and follow his lead, we move on through whatever we face.

There are plenty of times when I don’t know what to do. Jehoshaphat shows me a way through and it might just be what you need to hear the next time you don't know what to do.