I want to take a few minutes to share a vision my wife had the other day. The more I ponder it and recall it, the more it speaks to me and I believe is very relevant for our times.
Bonnie was floating down a lazy river type water ride, much like one up the road at Hershey Park. Sitting back in this comfortable tube, slowly floating down stream, she looked to her right and noticed Jesus was riding beside her in another tube. She also noticed that He was holding her hand loosely. It was just the most peaceful place and time she could ever imagine. Looking up and watching the fluffy clouds rolling by, she started to notice people appearing up on the banks overlooking the river. They seemed to be in stress and were calling out for help and were very anxious. She wanted to help them and looked over at Jesus. He didn't seem to notice and wasn't even looking their way. She was becoming a little disturbed and started wondering if He heard them. He didn't seem to notice her asking about it either. He remained peaceful and calm.
Then there appeared some in the water close to the banks stuck in the mud and they were trying to reach out and grab for them both as they floated past. She wanted to help these people as they seemed very distressed but yet Jesus still didn't seem to lift a finger or care. After a time, she about had enough of His apparent lack of caring and turned to ask Him why He wouldn't help them. Jesus and His tube were gone. Now she was really becoming panicky and in looking all around for Him, she noticed her tube was gone and it had turned into Jesus's loving arms. He was holding her up and had replaced her tube.
It was then she calmed a little bit as there were still people trying to reach out for them... so she just thought "Why doesn't Jesus notice these people in need?" That's when Jesus said, "I see them, I feel their pain. I can't help them, they don't want my help yet." "I can only help those who want my help. They aren't at the end of themselves yet"
That's when it dawned on her... He was helping them by not helping them.
Many times we help people when it's not His plan but ours. When we do that, we delay the work He is doing to perfect them. It is so hard to not do something, anything for someone in need. But if we look to our Father first, we'll see if it's His heart or our heart in trying to help. We must risk looking cold and reserved to those who just want their problems fixed without learning what it is God wants to do for them through the trouble and pain. Man is good at killing pain but the problem that started the pain to begin with is still there. If we let Him do it His way, the problem and it's roots will be exposed and fixed permanently.
I was made keenly aware of this very premise today, while viewing an expose on the huge problem of prescribed painkillers that become addictive. A solution meant to help one problem of pain, leads to a much larger problem of drug addiction that hurts more than just one life. This is just one of the ways this vision has spoken to me. Please let me know if you hear something else yourself.
We still have such compassion for those who hurt and we hurt with them, but we should all take everything to the throne first to see if it is His will to help at this time.
Matt. 6:33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.
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