When Your Back is Against the Wall
Is your back smack up against the wall? You can go no further
and you're feeling trapped. You feel like there is no way out of
your dilemma with no one to help you. You've tried everything
within your power and now you're desperate.
Whom can you turn to now? Maybe you've heard of God doing
miraculous things for certain people, but you're not sure about
all that. It all could have been coincidence, the medicine, or
lucky circumstances that made those things come to pass for
others. It could also be that those who experienced such
wild-sounding claims were "good." You may even be saying to
yourself that you do not deserve any favors from God. Why would
He reach down and bother to help you?
Let's imagine standing up against a wall. Your heels and
shoulders are touching it. It feels rough to the touch and
you're feeling confined, don't you? I remember a story my hubby
told me once. Jack is a great baseball fan and follows everyone
and everything about it. You might say he is an expert on
baseball and all its great characters. Ted Williams in his
coaching career was teaching a rookie how not to stand when at
bat. The young man for some reason did not swing wide and
consequently did not get any hits on base. Williams had him
stand right up against a wall. He then shouted at him: "Swing!"
The young man was dumbfounded, staring at his coach as if with a
gigantic question mark on his forehead. "That's right; you can't
swing, can you," was Mantle's answer to his curious look. "Well,
the coach continued, why is your stance at the plate as if
you've got a wall stuck to your backside?"
The message may be to hang loose, relax, and swing freely. That
sounds easy, but how do you do it? Let's have a look at what the
Word of God has to say. Would you agree with me that it's good
to go directly to the source rather than rely on your own
thoughts and opinions? Proverbs 3: 5-6 tells us to trust the
Lord with all our heart. If you do not lean on your own
understanding, but in all ways acknowledge Him, He will direct
your path. In Psalm 18:29 David tells us that by Him he had run
through a troop; and leaped over a wall." David loved his God
and relied on Him completely. If he could leap over his wall, do
you think that you will be able to take a step away from your
wall? It takes one tiny step of faith at a time. With each tiny
step our faith and trust build up.
Be encouraged. Walls can be self-made, forced on us through
ineptitude or carelessness on the part of others, or pop up from
nowhere. It does not matter what your wall is made of, or who
erected it. The important thing is not to look back at the wall
and try and force it out of the way. It is rigid. It will not
move. The wall represents the hard reality of the pain, grief or
circumstances in your life. It's there; you cannot do anything
about that! But, if you look up, square your shoulders and
determine to go forward - one tiny step at a time - your wall
will back off! Focus on your Healer, Deliverer, and Provider. He
not only has the answer, He will fill you with joy. That is
power! You'll be free to swing again and hit homeruns!