Don’t Be Afraid to Admit You’re Afraid!
Jehoshaphat feared, and set himself to seek the Lord; and he proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah. — 2 Chronicles 20:3
But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach; and it will be given to him. — James 1:5
Author
Dr. Roberto Miranda
Summary: Insisting on solving everything with our own resources and turning to God only as a last resort can lead us to suffer. Jehoshaphat was afraid and, faced with a desperate situation, humbled himself to seek the Lord. We do not need to hide our fear or pretend we know what to do: it is better to acknowledge our need and seek help than to cling to inadequate resources. When we lack wisdom, we can ask God for it in faith, trusting that he will give it to us generously and show us the way. Let us humble ourselves, ask for his guidance, and commit our way to him; he calls us to trust in his help.
Many people suffer because they prefer to do things on their own. They turn to God as a last resort. They do not heed advice, and they do not seek wisdom from Him. They stubbornly insist on doing things their own way, relying on their own inadequate resources.
As we can see in the Bible, King Jehoshaphat himself sometimes made the mistake of relying too heavily on his own reasoning, with disastrous consequences. In this case, the sheer desperation of the situation compelled Jehoshaphat to go straight to the throne of God to ask for help and receive wisdom. Verse 3 tells us: “Then he was afraid; and Jehoshaphat bowed his face to seek the LORD” … Do not be afraid to admit that you are afraid!
In our country we have a saying: “Better that they say, ‘He ran away here,’ than, ‘He died here.’” Wise Solomon puts it even more graphically: “For a living dog is better than a dead lion” (Eccl. 9:4). Often, it is far better to admit that you are afraid and that you do not know what to do. Better to seek help from God or from others than to insist on drawing water from your own dry well with resources you do not actually have.
There are situations in life that require us to ask the Lord for wisdom. The Apostle James says in James chapter 1, “If any of you lacks wisdom”—what should you do?—“Ask God, who gives generously and without reproach, and it will be given to you.” The first thing I do when I face a need or a difficult task in my life is ask for help: “Lord, give me wisdom; give me the strategy.”
I believe in a God who speaks, a God who sheds light, who tells us which way we need to walk. God promises in Psalm 32:8, “I will instruct you and teach you the way you should go.”
The Holy Spirit is the Instructor par excellence. The Bible says that He will lead us into all truth. Believe, ask the Lord for wisdom, and humble yourself. Ask Him in faith, believing His promise that He will give you abundantly what you ask of Him! Tell Him, “Lord, the truth is that I do not have what I need. My hands are empty. I have to give birth, and I have run out of strength.” God will not let you be put to shame. He Himself calls us to trust in Him: “Commit your way to the LORD, and trust in Him; and He will act. He will bring forth your righteousness as the light, and your justice as the noonday” (Ps. 37:5, 6).