There are times when everything goes wrong all at once. The kids are out of control. There are problems with the car or the house. You are tired to the bone. There are far too few hours in a day. There are times life hurts. You try to pray but it is like God is on coffee break.
There was a king who had a moment like this. There was a vast army that was coming to attack him. Why? Simply because they wanted to. They were strong and unjust. He knew that he had no ability to defeat the bad guys, they were simply too strong. Our king had no idea what to do.
But then, in humility, King Jehoshaphat remembered his God was worthy of praise. Praise often is the last thought when life becomes crazy. However, praise is always the appropriate heart attitude, regardless of whether times are good or crazy or bad. God is still God, he is unchanging, immutable. God is always worthy of your praise. You see it is not God who is on coffee break, you are.
In humility, the king offered this simple plea:
“Our God, will you not judge them? For we have no power to face this vast army that is attacking us. We do not know what to do, but our eyes are on you.” 2 Chronicles 20:12
It is wise to acknowledge that you don’t know what to do. In the text, we see that God responds to the king’s humble cry for help. God spoke to Jahaziel, a Levite, who said this to the king and all those gathered before him:
“Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast army. For the battle is not yours, but God’s.”
When you think God is on coffee break, that he has abandoned you, it is because you think you have to solve life’s problems in your own strength. You forget that the praise of God is where you must begin when life seems out of control.
Jehoshaphat realized that he must look to God when he had no answers. God answered in a way he could not have imagined.
Humility and praise are practical! Without these two qualities, you will think the battle is your battle. But the battle is not yours, it is God’s.