In the midst of sorrow, heartbreak, distress, disappointment, frustration, it's easy to miss God in the equation. These emotions bring into focus what's on earth, blurring the realities of heaven. The intensity of these emotions bring about short sightedness, hopeless, and overall a forgetfulness of the power of God in our life. We miss Jesus out of the equation when facing these emotions because in these states, we tend not to be able to comprehend beyond what we can physically see, because our emotions are taking up this capacity in our mind. I know in my times of crisis when facing these emotions, God in my situation is the last thing that I can see.
Isaiah 31 is a beautiful conversation between Judah and God, where Judah is choosing to seek protection in Egypt's armies instead of in Him during Assyria's attack on them. The reality of war on their doorstep would bring about these intense emotions of distress and sorrow, unable to comprehend a hopeful solution. I can imagine the pressure of Judah's leaders to think of a quick solution to protect their people, leaving their trust in God's hands seemed unreasonable. But as this passage explains, God is proven to be the only logical choice, the only One who would bring about perfect protection and victory.
I highly recommend you to read the full passage for yourself, there's so much hope for us in trusting God during battle. But there was one point which stood out to me, that challenged me.
They do not look to the Holy One of Israel, and they do not seek the Lord. - Isaiah 31:1
Judah looked to Egypt's armies to protect and help them against Assyria's invasion. In an intense situation, one where life was at stake, Judah's subconscious came into the drivers seat. It was a moment where there was no time to think, lay out all options and analyse them, Judah needed to make a quick decision to protect his people.
His decision to completely trust in Egypt's armies showed where his faith really was. We all have faith in something, whether that is in God, or in fate, in people, in situations. In times like this in our life, of complete pressure and disorientation, where everything is on the line, where our faith is will determine who we trust in. We have no time or mental capability in these moments to think about who would be the best to trust in. Where our faith truly is, is revealed in these situations. Judah's was in Egypt, in the earth, in physical horses and chariots.
But what determines what we have faith in? The verse speaks of seeking, our attempt to find something or someone, is correlated with who we have faith in and therefore trust. Judah's response in this situation showed that his real faith is in people, in Egypt, in impressive objects of war, instead of in God. As the leader at the time of God's people, this isn't a good sign.
Intense situations show where our faith and trust truly is.
The more we look at something, get to know and seek something, the more we trust them and have faith in them.
Judah would've had identity as a man of God, but his response in this situation showed his faith wasn't in God.
What this shows me is what we seek determines what we trust. When we wholeheartedly seek God through spending time with Him, getting to know Him, He becomes the person we subconsciously turn to in times of distress. In the times where we need to make a quick decision, we turn to God.
But because of the messaging this world is communicating to us, as well as us being beings of this earth, trusting God runs against who we are. We need to train ourselves for God to be our first response. Trusting Hims takes swimming-against-the-current type faith, the faith which goes against what the world is telling us. But it's what gives us ultimate protection and help.
So my question to you is, who are you seeking? Truly. Are you seeking worldly things, or are you seeking God. When you have to make a decision between what the world says to do and what God says to do, which do you pick? Truly.
Listen to my latest podcast episode, Hope in Trusting God, for a full walkthrough of Isaiah 31.
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