I am convinced that God keeps his children, those who really try to be His disciples in the Sweet Spot of Dependence. That’s the place where we can most easily put all our trust in Him. This spot is easy to establish for the poor, the prisoner, and the desperately ill. Those folks know they can do nothing to advance their situations and thus dependence on God is easy. The church always flourishes in centers of poverty and persecution. Not so much on the sunny side of the street. Dependence on God is easy for the poor; It’s tough for the rich. Those with money and power and resources fight the illusion that they are in control of their lives. That’s a truly dangerous place to be.
The sweet spot of dependence isn’t static. It’s dynamic, moving as our life situations change and our relationship with God adjusts. God will challenge us in various aspects of our lives as we move forward. At some points it may be our health that turns us to him. At other times, rebellious children or unfaithful spouses turn us to dependence on God. For those without independent means, finances is always a dependence trigger.
The proof is overwhelming. Remember the packed churches after 9-11. There are no atheists in fox holes. Look at the pained prayerful expressions in hospital waiting rooms and the hallways of court houses. Stressors challenge our independence and force us to contemplate our dependence on Him.
I always smile when I hear folks, often Christians, say that God won’t send us more than we can handle. That’s so wrong. God will always send us more than we can handle. just so we will give up trying to handle things on our own and turn things over to him. It’s no wonder that we should rejoice when times are rough; it means God is loving and near.
Be the first to reply