What to Do When We Don't Know What to Do?

 

I stood behind a beautiful, almost-ready-to-pop mama (8+ months pg), with her hands raised to heaven and praising God with all-out freedom on the front row at church. While I was praising God in my own way, I was enamored by this precious woman. I told her so. I know her faith journey. She made me want to raise my hands a little higher and sing a little louder. She was leading the way for all who were behind her.  

I remembered King Jehoshaphat of Judah who did something we won’t find in any military briefing. He led his army to battle with singers and praisers right at the front. I told this young woman that is precisely what she was doing – leading us. King Jehoshaphat spoke these words to his people when an attacking army was fast approaching. In that scary moment he said this: “Lord, we don’t know what to do…but our eyes are upon You.” (2 Chronicles 20:12) At times like that -- it's not only the WHAT we do, but the WHO we go to.

 Jehoshaphat and his army were led by those whose primary attention was on God and that should be the way we roll out our day with God Who is our great Defender, Mighty in battle, our Rock, our Shield, our Fortress, our Victor, our great I AM, our Waymaker, Miracle Worker. That's Who He is. He is the answer to "I don't know what to do!" King Jehoshaphat's armies watched the enemy forces fight and destroy each other. When they looked over the battlefield, they saw only dead bodies on the ground. No enemy escaped. What an amazing testimony to the power of faith, prayer, and praise! And that same power is available to us today. Praise is the voice of faith. 

We've all been there. There -- where the answers don't come -- where the plans are uncertain. Where everyone is counting on us, and we want to count the steps to the back door.  Where there is a mob raising havoc in our lives -- the relentless negativity mob we hear on the news and social media who scream ugly and negative remarks against those of us who choose life, attend church, who love others as ourselves and are God and country lovers. Or the battlefield of our minds when it feels like the attacking army of negativity is slinging every defeating, ugly, hateful, shameful, and hurtful lies into our minds? Do we cave or retreat? Heavens, NO!

 We know what to do about those mobs. And we shout out from our hearts and mouth: "I don't know what to do....but my eyes are on You, God. I'm going to find out what Your Word tells me what to do.” Maybe we don't know what to do, but we go to our WHO -- Who does! We cannot lose with Him. We cannot be overcome. Jehoshaphat won his battle. We will too. We think we must know what to do. All we really need to know is Who. Because that is Who makes the difference. That is WHO matters. When it looks like you’re surrounded, remind the enemy how you fight your battles – not with a sword or spear or fear or worry – remind him that you are surrounded by the Lord God of hosts by praising and worshiping Him.

 “It may look like I’m surrounded, but I’m surrounded by YOU!  This is how I fight my battles!”