A video on YouTube captured a mother squirrel trying to teach her baby how to scale a cement wall. Over and over the mother squirrel patiently showed how it was done, but the wall was simply too big for the younger rodent to conquer.
Eventually, a few college students intervened. They first placed a backpack up against the wall, hoping it would function as a step for the younger squirrel. But it wasn’t tall enough. Next, they made a higher step by placing a couple of sandbags on top of one another. Finally the little squirrel climbed on top of the sandbags and scaled the daunting wall— having learned a valuable survival lesson.
This little drama from the animal kingdom reminds me of how God often deals with us. One of the reasons He doesn’t instantly resolve our struggles or take us out of seemingly insurmountable challenges is because they provide valuable learning experiences.
For instance, after He brought Pharaoh to his knees through a series of crippling plagues (Exodus 12:31-32), God didn’t pack the Israelites’ bags and march them out of Egypt. They had to do it themselves, learning the valuable lesson that faith and effort often go hand in hand.
Too often the Christian walk is seen as believers sitting back and letting God do everything for us. That’s rarely the case. While God is always God, and we can do nothing apart from Him (John 15:5), He’s not going to do all the work. Sometimes He will provide a “backpack” or a “sandbag,” but He knows there are lessons for us to learn through effort that will make us better in the long run.
More:
Work hard to show the results of your salvation, obeying God with deep reverence and fear (Philippians 2:12).
Next:
What’s a lesson you’ve learned in the midst of working through a challenge? What would happen to you if God removed every challenge from your life?
lindagma on January 28, 2011 at 6:46 am
Amen brother. We can see this played out with our own children. We cripple them when we work out all of their problems and make life too easy. I love to watch my twin great-granddaughters. At 2 1/2, they are learning in leaps and bounds and their learning is repetitive. They tried many times to get up on the couch and with a small hand-up, achieved their goal. Now they scramble up with ease. They would not have learned that had we simply picked them up and set them down…or at least their learning time would have been greatly extended.
I would not be where I am today, in my Christian walk, without the difficulties…and I would have no words of encouragement for others who are in current difficulties. God is so amazing and wise…I love and respect Him more every day.
tom felten on January 28, 2011 at 1:44 pm
lindagma, thanks so much for sharing this excellent illustration. It’s true, we are all learning with each new day. May God give us the wisdom to choose His wisdom, and not the lies that would turn us from following His truth.
eppistle on January 28, 2011 at 7:44 am
Are we responsible for our spiritual growth or is God? The answer from Philippians 2:12,13 is “yes.” We should be sensitive to the Holy Spirit’s promptings and surrender our wills to His will and His power.
tom felten on January 28, 2011 at 1:46 pm
Good insight, eppistle. Without the work of the Holy Spirit in our life, we would be left a true moral and spiritual compass. It’s vital that we yield to the Spirit’s work in our life—following His lead and doing our part!
msconqueror77 on January 28, 2011 at 4:50 pm
It is so true, it often takes adversity before we can ackowldege the presence and lordship of our God. But thank God for they trials they draw us closer to him.
tom felten on January 28, 2011 at 5:34 pm
msconqueror77, your name intrigues me—in light of the insightful words you wrote. Could you tell me and the other ODJ community members a little of your story and what God has taught you through your trials?
sowharvest on January 28, 2011 at 6:11 pm
Again.. The Holy Spirit always on time with a word–if we just listen. I awoke this morning frustrated because I cannot see with my physical/earthly eyes the hand of GOD in my life.. But upon reading this devotional I reflected on all the ways GOD’s hand has sustained me & my family doing these economic hard times. Boy I wanted to have the pity party but the Holy Spirit and this devotional would not let me.
Yes Tom Faith is more than believing. It is from that BELIEF that we walk forward not really knowing the destination [except we are where GOD intended for us to be] or even how but just as the young squirrel had a “helping hand” GOD sends helpers to us in all ways.
Sometime it is about– just keep pressing forward and Live like I Believe every word of God is true. It made me reflect on Jacob wrestling with GOD– Determination… We need to have determination not giving up or believing God for every promise of victory & salvation even if we are like those in Heb 11 who didn’t receive the promise in this life.
In every trial I have learned some thing new but the one thing that resonants over and over is—– “that no matter where we are [be it in a pit or on the mountaintop] GOD never leaves us”. Thank you so much. May GOD bless you.