Cease Striving
[Text Version]
HE SPEAKS WHEN WE DO NOT STRIVE
“…But indeed O man, who art you to reply against God? Will the thing that is formed say to him who formed it, “Why have you made me like this? Does not the potter have power over the clay…Woe to him who strives with his Maker… Shall the clay say to Him who forms it, What are you making?…The Lord spoke to Job: “Shall he that contends with the Almighty instruct him? He that reproves God, let him answer it.” One classic phrase quoted so often from Job: Job said “Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him: but I will maintain mine own ways before him.”
The word maintain in Job 13:15 = Reprove: to be right, argue, decide, justify, defend, rebuke, etc. [3198 Heb Strong’s]
Rom 9:19-21 NKJV
You will say to me then, “Why does He still find fault? For who has resisted His will?” But indeed, O man, who are you to reply against God? Will the thing formed say to him who formed it, “Why have you made me like this?” Does not the potter have power over the clay, from the same lump to make one vessel for honor and another for dishonor?
Isa 45:9 NKJV
“Woe to him who strives with his Maker! Let the potsherd strive with the potsherds of the earth! Shall the clay say to him who forms it, ‘What are you making?’ Or shall your handiwork say, ‘He has no hands’?
Job 40:1-2 NKJV
Moreover the LORD answered Job, and said: “Shall the one who contends with the Almighty correct Him? He who rebukes God, let him answer it.”
I read a testimony of a gal who received visions and talked to the Lord face to face. The way she came into His Presence was through worship. I really wanted to talk to Him face to face! I thought if she can do it, so can I. So I tried. And I tried again. Nothing. I tried harder.
Still nothing. Then I launched a campaign and decided to stay up all night if I had to, worshipping Him and seeking Him. I was very tired, and still I kept on. Finally exhaustion set in, I gave up and went to bed. That night I received a vision. This is what I saw! A vision of me trying to jump to heaven. The Lord said nothing to coincide with the vision. He didn’t have to. I figured it out all by myself. Heaven’s too far to jump.
When I heard the voice of the Lord for the first time, it was such an eventful milestone in my life, in analyzing it later, I thought that my hoarse voice and the exhaustion made a difference. After all, what else could it be, since He had never spoken to me before? In truth, I wasn’t striving with Him at all, I was just thoroughly caught up in Him, and enjoying His Presence for hours. Without my noticing, I became tired and lost my voice.
However, if I’d had a purpose in the worship, song and prayer, in which I went on and on, and on and on, (you know what I mean) for a specific reason, how do you think it would make Him feel? Think how you’d feel if someone wanted something from you, and wouldn’t let up until you said yes! That is striving. There is a place for persistence. But it is not meant to be with the attitude of butting our heads against Him.
[A Pastor friend said something cute in a sermon: the difference between a sheep and a goat is that the goat is always saying, “but, but, but.”]
Demanding Him to give answers and guidance is an example of striving. Our attitude needs to be humble, yielded and willing when we approach Him. The lust for knowledge is a wrong motive for seeking answers from Him. It is commonly manifested by pushiness – a push and drive to zealously gain answers. He desires us to pursue Him, but not for the wrong motive. We do not have the rights, arguments, decisions, or justifications to demand God to answer. In seeking His guidance, we cannot demand understanding, we can merely ask. When we strive with God for any reason, we EXPECT Him to act a certain way, and do not give Him room to be Himself. May we yield our wills and let go of our striving. If we love Him, we will yield and give Him space to make His own choices.
Job is a perfect example of striving with God. In standing against his enemies, he insisted on maintaining his belief system. He insisted he was right, argued, decided, justified, and defended his stand. Yet even though Job’s belief system was accurate about Him, when the trial was over God rebuked Job for maintaining his own way before Him. (Job 13:15) What does that mean? Job’s belief system did not allow God to have freedom of choice. God said He was God, and could do anything. Job did not understand why he was being tried when he knew his belief system was accurate. Job’s downfall was his expectations of God – he did not give God room to be Himself and freely choose His own will.
In having a relationship with Him, we need to be willing to let God be God, and choose the way He desires His Word to be applied. This is especially true in waiting for His promises. We strive against God when we inaccurately hold His promise — for instance, having a written note of promise from someone, going before him and demanding he perform, because he gave us the note. I have seen many who have continued to strive against God about His Word and how it should apply in their lives. I have watched them go around the same track for years, simply because they refused to release their will to His plan.
The way we can hear more from the Lord and have a living joyful relationship with Him is to let go of our striving expectations and let Him be God.
