Reliance

We all rely on something, the key is understanding what those items are and redirecting when it is anything other than God.

For instance, I love being married. It truly is a gift from the Lord, and quite often I find myself relying on my wife in many areas of our marriage. From taking care of our toddlers, to laying out our meal plan, she is always going above and beyond to serve our family.

For her, I strive to be the husband she deserves and I focus on providing for the family to the best of my ability. However, if you were to ask us both if we fully relied on the other person, we would give you the same answer, NO. We recognize that we are both sinners and we have shortcomings. I have a short fuse and often my patience bucket is non-existent. She is forgetful and if it is not written down it simply doesn’t exist.

We are two broken people who are committed to doing life together as husband and wife. At the center of our marriage is the one thing we both, independently and dependently, rely on - God. As we have faced trials that come with being married such as losing a child, sudden career changes, and financial setbacks, we choose to remain focused on the Goodness of God instead of the lies of the evil one.

Do we have bad days, absolutely. Are there times when we wrestle with God as a couple on major issues that we are not able to understand, for sure. Yet at the end of each wrestling match, we are reminded that God is in control and we are not and that brings about the Peace that passes all understanding.

Relying on others from time to time is not inherently bad. Our marriage is a testament to that. However, fully relying on God must surpass any of the reliances we have created in our lives. It was that reliance that Jacob had to fully come to after his wrestling match with God. His brother Esau was still out there. Jacob had no idea what the outcome would be and if he would live. Yet he knew that in that moment, fully surrendering and relying on God was the only chance he had. God had sapped his strength and all Jacob could do was at the brink of his limitations rely on God to guide him.

If you are in a wrestling match with God right now I encourage you to keep pushing and fight with all your might. It is in the struggle that you just may find that what you needed the entire time was to surrender to God's Will. Remember you are created in His Image and He desires a deep relationship with you. So put on your wrestling equipment, hit the mat, enjoy the tussle, and at the end of the day make the conscious choice to rely on God and Him alone as you forge ahead in the journey of life.

1. What role does surrendering to God's Will play in the process of learning to rely solely on Him?
2. In what ways does the concept of reliance on God challenge conventional notions of self-sufficiency and independence?

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Thank You

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