What Do You Do When You Have No One To Depend On?

     I was pondering this question as a pastor was talking about the economic downfall over the last five years and how there have been many people who’ve lost everything they had from investments to homes and jobs.  I personally know people who are struggling for various reasons such as unemployment/underemployment, single parenting, depression, addiction and lack of motivation to name a few.  It’s fair to say that everyone experiences difficulties from time to time but it’s how you deal with adversity that determines the quality of life you have.

     I’ve witnessed a lot of people complain about their situation, blame others for their situation or completely fall apart from their situation or a combination of all of those.  It’s natural to respond in those ways and I’m guilty of some of those myself.  However, I came to realize that I was depending on myself, which was self-centered, which kept me from accomplishing anything.  When I was depending on myself I would go through all types of emotions like fear because I was always worried how I was going to provide for my family, how I was going to be “a man” and take care of my responsibilities.  Problems kept mounting on top of themselves and the feeling was sickening.

     I don’t deal with that today.  Why?  I trust Jesus Christ.  When a problem arises, when adversity strikes, I go straight to Jesus with it.  Really, I’m talking to Jesus before a problem arises and when one does, I have comfort because I believe His Word and…He has never failed nor let me fail.  I speak these words from my experiences.  I use to operate in my own power, which was fraught in fear and despair.  Before I came to Christ, my life plan was non-existent.  I had no future and my end was coming prematurely.  I tell you I won’t go back to that way of life but I feel bad for the people who one, deny Christ, and two, continue to struggle because they are operating in their own self-centered ways.  I see and hear people constantly complaining about their lack, about the hard things they are going through, about never getting a break all the while never giving praise for the things they do have.  This is part of the reason why they can’t get ahead, because they don’t give thanks and aren’t grateful for what they do have.  Instead they continue to live a life of entitlement often times living outside of their means.  They can’t get their priorities straight because their priorities are centered on their own needs and based on their own abilities.

     That is a terrible way to live, without Christ.  When things go wrong, there’s no one to turn to, only oneself.  Good luck with that!