Give Up, It's Hopeless

Give Up, It's Hopeless
October 19, 2009
Isaiah 57:15 "For this is what the high and lofty one says, "I live. . .with him who is contrite and lowly in spirit, to revive the spirit of the lowly and to revive the heart of the contrite.""

While the words, "give up, it's hopeless," sound depressing, they are actually an invitation for a miracle. Undoubtedly, you need a miracle. I know you do and God is acutely aware of it, too. Only thing is, if you're like me, you haven't given up yet, given up your human efforts, that is. If you are human, you've probably got your miracle ALL figured out, exactly how God can demonstrate His power and utilize you to orchestrate it. You've played the longed-for scenario out in your mind many times, just how neatly your situation will resolve itself when God does things the way you want Him to, or you're able to finally get it done yourself. I do this often, and, regrettably, have even questioned God for missing many opportunities for a miracle.

If you daydream about just how to make things happen, then you haven't given up yet; you're still trying to work it out on your own, figuring out your own solution. God would say to you and me today, "Stop It!" Stop trying to suggest to God how He might properly get it done. Here is a little secret I've found in the Bible: not one miracle was performed in the way a human being suggested it to God. Not one. God, when He performed His miracles, NEVER consulted a man or woman on how to properly get it done. The Bible is pretty good about setting precedent and there doesn't seem to be one for setting up your miracle, except for one thing. Give up. That's right, give up your human efforts, if you want to set yourself up for a miracle. You must come to the end of what man can do, if a miracle is going to happen.

Consider the following impossible situations:
Abraham's wife was ninety years old and barren when God enabled her to conceive a child. Joseph spent close to twenty years imprisoned and enslaved when God rose him to fame and riches. The Israelites faced certain death by Pharaoh's army before God parted the sea. The three Jewish men were bound and thrown into the fiery furnace before God exalted them, unharmed. Daniel was sentenced to death and spent a night in a den of lions before God cleared him of all false charges. Lazarus was dead and rigid in the grave for four days before God healed his original sickness and brought him back to life. When th ese men finally gave up and it seemed hopeless, putting the situation in God's hands, God was able to make the miracle happen.

When your situation seems entirely hopeless, God can finally step in and do His best work. Christian, you may be facing something so great in your life that it would take a miracle to turn it around. It is time to give up your human efforts to fix it and hand it over to God. And when you hand it over to God, you also have to let go. Your miracle might be delayed because you haven't let the situation go yet. You might still be hanging on to something that needs to be in God's hands. When you give up, you can stand before God with a contrite heart, in a position for Him to comfort you and start to do His best work.

There is a Proverb that reads, "hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a longing fulfilled is a tree of life." While your hopeless situation may have you depressed, God wants to comfort you with His awesome power and might. He sees your lowly and contrite heart and wants you to give your circumstances entirely over to Him. Because, not only does He want to comfort your heart, He is able to make that miracle happen, His way.

1. How have you worked out your own miracle in your mind?
2. What are you still hanging on to that you might need to let go?
3. How can you be hopeless in your human efforts so God can comfort your heart and work your miracle?

Add. Scriptures for Study: Gen 17, Gen 41, Ex 14, Dan 3, Dan 6, Pr 13:12, John 11