Trusting Him for Them

     I have a new m.o. (modus operandi) and it is to not get in other people's business by refraining from making comments which are unsolicited. Do you know how hard that is, especially when you've had a habit of "sharing your advice" which you thought was helping them?  You observe people making daily decisions for themselves, you think you see the error in them, and so to rescue them, you share your insights, so they won't have to suffer from their mistakes. Sound completely sensible and even loving to me. NOT! Well, the loving part might be right, as the intention is for someone's good, but the sensible part, maybe not.
     Why? Because there comes a time in everyone's life, when you just have to let people make their mistakes, and suffer for them too, and let the Lord have His say about things in their lives. Doing anything less is to interfer with the Lord's work. You value what you can say or do above what only He knows needs to be done, so with this in mind, it really becomes a matter of trusting Him with them.
     But I don't want them to have to suffer, because I suffer when they do, and I might add, it scares me whenever their suffering results from their own pride which ignores the wisdom of God. I wonder what will have to happen for them to respond to His wisdom and  live in safety. As I see it, it is like walking on a mine field, hoping you place your foot in the right spot.
     Now, how do  you stand back and watch someone do that? Only by the power of the Holy Spirit, after He's shown you to step aside and let Him have His way. It's the only way they will turn from their willful ways and listen to Him. Sowing and reaping, sowing and reaping, sowing and reaping time after time, as the pain of the results gets turned up each time. This cycle is implemented for our redemption and healing. We can turn to Him anywhere in the cycle, and it will be stopped and then  new and living ways  open up  by His blessed hand.
     This struggling with God, our will against His, will not result in us being the victor. We never win. He always does. The only thing under our control is deciding how much suffering we have to have before we face that fact. When someone keeps pressing harder to try and win over God, it is a painful thing for those who love them to observe without trying to rescue them from themselves. But, if they (and us too) insist, they can choose to fight at the Brook Jabok, as Jacob did, suffering their own version of their thigh being displaced.
     People beg for a touch from God; the touch Jacob got resulted in injury to his own self will, as I see it, which is a good thing. The limp that he had was a reminder of who wins, so he wouldn't be tempted to raise his ugly head again to take God on. If we let the limp remind us, we won't foolishly even try.
     To remain humbled under His trustworthy hand of protection and grace, that beautiful place of submission,  is the place He desires us all   to be for He knows it is the place from which all blessing flows. When He completely supplants our own self-will as King, then we can know God as He truly is.