But it is good for me to draw near to God: I have put my trust in the Lord GOD, That I may declare all thy works.
Psalm 73:28, KJV
Going to God Alone
There is a section from a favorite hymn of mine which goes as follows:
Once ‘twas busy planning.
now ‘tis trustful prayer;
once ‘twas anxious caring,
now He has the care;
once ‘twas what I wanted,
now what Jesus says;
once ‘twas constant asking,
now ‘tis ceaseless praise.
This hymn presents beautiful contrasts between an old way of living, as a believer, and a new life through Jesus. It contrasts a life where self is first, with one that has become fully surrendered and partakes in the true riches of spiritual blessings that follow. It contrasts a surface level Christian experience with one of a deeply transformed life and character.
Such a transition is not instantaneous, but it is one that develops more and more, over a lifetime, when one puts themself fully in the hands of God with a desire that is not for their own will but for His. God is no respecter of persons,1 and Jesus said that all who truly come to Him, will never be cast to the side.2
Trustful prayer first comes from knowing the word of God and believing that its promises (and conditions) are true. From here, it develops into living experiences that strengthen our faith, our trust, and our confidence (in Him), and serve as testimonies unto the glory of God.
In the book of Psalms, we read:
“Give us help from trouble: For vain is the help of man.” (Psalm 60:11, KJV)
This is not to say that God does not work through human agencies to accomplish His purposes, for He certainly does, but rather it draws our attention to consider whether we are really trusting fully in God alone and looking to Him above all else for help with our needs.
Getting help from God, and not man, requires patience and faith. It requires a surrender of our will and desires. It requires not running ahead or trying to take matters into our own hands, or placing matters into the hands of others (even when it looks like all hope is lost). We are to walk by faith and not by sight.3
“It is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the LORD [Jehovah].” (Lamentations 3:26, KJV)
This principle of going only to God with our needs is one that can be extremely difficult. But as long as we are willing, God is faithful, and He will never let anyone down who trusts in Him in such a manner. He will gradually build our trust until such reliance upon Him becomes progressively more natural.
“If we believe not, yet he abideth faithful: he cannot deny himself.” (2 Timothy 2:13, KJV)
This is a principle that my heavenly Father has taught me over the years, and He has been refining me even further in this way during the past year and recent months.
Personal Testimony
A recent example in my life involved two circumstances. I will call them C1 for circumstance #1 and C2 for circumstance #2.
C1 was a time-sensitive matter that carried with it a monetary loss if not acted upon within a certain window of time. It was also something that would meet a particular need of mine. However, for this need to be met, movement from another person was required.
C2 is an important matter in my life, which also carries financial implications with it, among other things.
I had determined that, for C1, I would trust only in God and His timing. I made my petitions known only to Him and no other person. As I saw the time window closing, I was certainly tempted and stirred in my flesh to reach out to someone for help, or to try and intervene by my own efforts. Thankfully, I did not and continued in trustful prayer.
Then changes came about with C2, and I quickly jumped to human agencies for help and disclosed various details about the situation. A couple of days after this, I came under conviction and recognized my fault. I had acted with too much haste and too little trustful prayer. I repented and then retracted my previous attempt at obtaining help outside of God’s timing.
Later on, that very same day, C1 was answered. This was done completely by the moving of God and with no effort of my own to help the process along. The timing was another clear affirmation of God’s ability to answer prayers if I will simply wait and trust Him. This greatly blessed and encouraged me and increased my confidence that God will also answer C2 in His timing IF I don’t get in the way again!
C1 has now been added to my list of experiences of God’s faithfulness to provide and come through in times of need when I go to Him alone with my petitions.
Closing
We do not serve a God whose hand is shortened nor whose ear is heavy.4 He delights in receiving and answering the prayers of His children.5 Truly, we can cast all our cares upon Him because He cares for us.6
Next time you are tempted to go to man first for help, or to indirectly make your needs known to others in hopes that they might bring help, remember that you have a loving Father in heaven who is able to do abundantly, exceedingly above all that you can ask or think,7 and with whom nothing shall be impossible.8
It is not God’s inability that blocks trustful prayers of this sort, but rather man’s lack of firm reliance and faith.
“But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.” (Hebrews 11:6, KJV)
Men will fail, forsake, and fall short. Jehovah never will. Let us confide in Him with our needs and trust in Him alone to act.
“Truly my soul waiteth upon God: From him cometh my salvation. He only is my rock and my salvation; He is my defence; I shall not be greatly moved.” (Psalm 62:1–2, KJV)
No good thing will He withhold from them that walk uprightly.9
Let us not short ourselves in life by missing opportunities of seeing how God will move mountains on the behalf of those who go to Him and Him alone with their needs. These opportunities carry with them depths of blessing and encouragement that can never be obtained when we take our needs to man instead of God alone.
God Bless,
Charles
SCRIPTURE INDEX