It’s been said that “man’s extremities are God’s opportunities.” It’s not a Bible verse but a spiritual truth seen throughout the Bible. What it means is that until we come to the end of ourselves and our resources and our fleshly attempts to solve the issues in our lives, God is then given a platform to work on our behalf. God will often allow us to get to the very end of ourselves in our current situations. He will watch us fight and squirm. He will observe us struggle and wrestle until we come to the very end. He wants us at the place where we finally conclude it’s too much, where we can’t take it anymore. It’s when we finally give up that God is given the opportunity to take over and do His work, showing His solution, revealing His salvation.
Some take much longer in this process than others. Those of you who are seemingly stronger seem to actually suffer the misery longer than others until you finally give up. Pride holds back the hand of God.
1 Peter 5:5 (NKJV) “Likewise you younger people, submit yourselves to your elders. Yes, all of you be submissive to one another, and be clothed with humility, for “God resists the proud, But gives grace to the humble.”
Jesus illustrates this well for us as he teaches the parable of the young man who walked away from his dad (Luke 15:11-32). The young man left so cocky and confident. He was rich with his dad’s money and full of dreams. It didn’t take long for him to gather quite a few friends. Together they lived it up! It’s not there that we read of him wanting to go home. Actually as Jesus shares the story it wasn’t after he lost all his money, or lost all of his friends, or after living in a severe famine, or having to find work, or taking the job of a Gentile, or feeding the pigs, or hunger pains, or loneliness, or the sadness that he decided to go home. It wasn’t any one of these things but ALL of them that were used to get him to come to the end. Jesus says, “But when he came to himself…” (Luke 15:17). It took a lot! But when he did come home, his abba ran to him! Oh, what a response!
Luke 15:20–21 (NLT) “So he returned home to his father. And while he was still a long way off, his father saw him coming. Filled with love and compassion, he ran to his son, embraced him, and kissed him. His son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against both heaven and you, and I am no longer worthy of being called your son.’
God, in His great love for me and His desire to mature me into the image of Christ, often allows me to reach a point where I must acknowledge to Him and others that I’m helpless. He wants me to see my feeble limitations, so He allows me to take my own path until I’m at the end. Some might be asking, Why?! Why would God do that? Why not just fix things right then and there?! Ha! I’m with you on that question!!
Our gracious Heavenly Father wants me to throw myself completely upon Him. He wants me to fully commit myself and my situation in life to Him. He wants me to pray diligently, seeking Him in deeper, more profound ways. He wants to reveal Himself as strong and powerful. He wants me to recognize His delivering power. At the end of the day, and all the way through, He desires my lips to praise Him and give Him all the glory for the great things He has done! Charles Spurgeon puts it this way, “Never trust Him just a little. Never give Him only a part of your cares. Never rest just a portion of your trials on Him. Lean on Him with all your weight. Bring all the tons, pounds, and ounces and throw them all on God. Do not carry an extra ounce yourself. God loves His children to place their entire confidence in Him.”
2 Corinthians 3:4–5 (NLT) “We are confident of all this because of our great trust in God through Christ. It is not that we think we are qualified to do anything on our own. Our qualification comes from God.”
I know some of you have been really wrestling with the question, “God, why have you allowed this to happen? Where is your help? Why won’t you stop it or them in my life?” Could it be that you’re still struggling with it? Could it be that you’re still trying in it? Are you still trying to manipulate and work things out for yourself? Are you not dead to yourself yet? As long as you have one idea left, God will watch. As long as you have one justifying thought, God will watch. As long as you are still thinking through how to fix it, God will watch, until finally you give up and give in.
Matthew 5:3 (NLT) “God blesses those who are poor and realize their need for him, for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs.”
If our plans had really worked, if our maneuverings had really come to pass, if our reasoning and good explanations had been successful, we would be tempted to take the credit, to share in the glory. We would tend to take pride in our part. I can hear it now, “Oh yes, God did the work, but not without me! I’m sure He’s very grateful to have me helping him out a little!” Before you know, like the little engine that could. So many of us were raised reading that book. In it, we learned that if we keep trying, if we don’t give up, if we say to ourselves I know I can, I know I can, then surely success is around the corner. But that is not the way of the Lord. The way of the Lord is to recognize and admit that we cannot! In our own strength, we are powerless. We’re saying I knew I could do it. I knew I could work it out. But when we get to the end, and give up, and God rescues us, and delivers us, and saves us, how easy and joyful it is to glorify our faithful God!
Is that where you are today? On the way to your extremity? It doesn’t have to be that difficult. Surrender. Throw up your hands in surrender. Kneel to your knees in humility. It’s when you come to the end of yourself, the Father is there waiting with open arms to act, help, and deliver you!
Psalm 73:1–17 (NLT) “Truly God is good to Israel, to those whose hearts are pure. But as for me, I almost lost my footing. My feet were slipping, and I was almost gone. For I envied the proud when I saw them prosper despite their wickedness. They seem to live such painless lives; their bodies are so healthy and strong. They don’t have troubles like other people; they’re not plagued with problems like everyone else. They wear pride like a jeweled necklace and clothe themselves with cruelty. These fat cats have everything their hearts could ever wish for! They scoff and speak only evil; in their pride they seek to crush others. They boast against the very heavens, and their words strut throughout the earth. And so the people are dismayed and confused, drinking in all their words. “What does God know?” they ask. “Does the Most High even know what’s happening?” Look at these wicked people— enjoying a life of ease while their riches multiply. Did I keep my heart pure for nothing? Did I keep myself innocent for no reason? I get nothing but trouble all day long; every morning brings me pain. If I had really spoken this way to others, I would have been a traitor to your people. So I tried to understand why the wicked prosper. But what a difficult task it is! Then I went into your sanctuary, O God, and I finally understood the destiny of the wicked.”
NOTE: I’m especially grateful to Pastor Chuck Smith for introducing me to these powerful thoughts surrounding the work of God in our lives. He is greatly missed, but heaven awaits us!
