There's no Place Else to Go

Do you ever wonder what people do during difficult times, when they don't have a relationship with God? Perhaps the saddest fact about the world today is that there are so many who think they have nowhere to turn in the midst of a crisis. How do people cope? How can they be comforted? How can they feel satisfied without answers and without hope?

The answer is so simple, but unfortunately people often won't take the time to examine truth and put their priorities in proper order. If we would only spend more moments with God and in His word we would find all the care and comfort we could possibly want or need. Paul said that God through Christ "is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think" (Eph. 3:20). The Scriptures also teach that in Jesus Christ we have an abundance of spiritual blessings in the heavenly places that outweigh the physical pains and sufferings that somehow seem to overtake us (Eph. 1:3; Rom. 8:18). Jesus Himself said, "Come to me, all you who labor and are heavy laden and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am meek and lowly in heart, and you will find rest unto your souls, for My yoke is easy and My burden is light" (Matt. 11:28-30).

The promises of Jesus are special because they ensure comfort to everyone, even when it seems that none is available. If people would only humble themselves enough to let Christ take control of their lives, they could then contact this help and be lifted up - "Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you" (1 Pet. 5:6,7).

The overwhelming problem is that we only ask God for help when we think it is obvious to us that we need it - during financial troubles, death in the family, relationship problems, etc. During the rest of our lives, we try and plug along without God's help and even begin to speak of being near Him as an inconvenience. For example, some only meet to worship God when "there's no place else to go." What a serious lie this is - a lie that puts us in more trouble than any crisis ever could!

The fact is, that yesterday, today and forever, Jesus is the unchangeable Savior that we need to get us through every situation (Heb. 13:8). There is never a time that we should not look to Him, because He is the author and finisher of our faith and our salvation (Heb. 5:9;12:2). If we really have hope for tomorrow, the only living hope exists in Him (1 Pet. 1:3).

When will we learn that all of the serious troubles we have in life are troubles of our own making? When will we finally look to God all of the time and not only when we think we need Him? Someday when we figure it all out, we'll find that saying "there's no place else to go" is not a lie at all.

"Then Jesus said to the twelve, 'Do you also want to go away?' Then Simon Peter answered Him, 'Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life'" (John 6:67,68).