This passage is found at the end of 2 Chronicles 20:12. More than we would like to admit, these words are very familiar to us in our daily walks: “Lord, we just don’t know what to do.” Unclear direction from the Lord never means a lack of fellowship with the Lord. In this chapter, Jehoshaphat faced strong opposition from Judah’s enemies, the Moabites and Ammonites. He feared the situation, a normal emotional response. However, instead of reacting to the fear, he did two things that would be good for us to observe when facing the “storms of life”. He first of all “set himself to seek the Lord” and secondly, “proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah.”
When you and I are gripped by indecision, what do we normally do? Analyze the situation? Prepare our strategy? These may be secondary responses when seeking direction, but our primary response should be to seek the Lord. “Lord Jesus, my eyes are upon You.” We can choose to fix our eyes on the Lord. Isaiah 26:3 promises that God will keep us in perfect peace if we would keep our eyes stayed on Him.
To keep our eyes on the Lord means that we assess our situation from His perspective. We cling to His Word and His unchanging love and kindness. As long as we are “housed” in this flesh, we will continue to “see through this glass darkly”.
There will come a time when we’ll no longer need to seek the Lord; Revelation 21 and 22 tell us that. However, until eternity future, we too will groan with all creation. To ask why or where is normal; but we need to remember that we are to “walk by faith, not by sight.”
There is, however, a “sight” of faith that enables us to walk through the valley of uncertainty. (Notice, God walks us through valleys; He doesn’t cause us to pole-vault over them!) That spiritual sight is “looking unto Jesus” and “setting our affections on Him”. Whom John beheld physically, we behold with the eyes of faith.
Lacking direction does not shelf one’s faith. Warfare continues; marriage bonds continue; church affiliation and careers go forward. Our faith in these realms of life are not put on hold for daily pressures continue. The fatigue that can result from not knowing what to do should never crowd out the clear commands of Scripture that require daily attention.
Although our eyes have been once opened, the plans and purposes of God must be sought continually. Continue in His Word. Continue in brotherly love. Continue in prayer. And, most importantly, continue in Christ’s love. These things we know we should do. The specifics of what, where, how long will follow thereafter.
Don’t jump ship. Don’t go A.W.O.L. Don’t turn back to Egypt. Look up! There’s a great audience of saints that have trod the same path as you, and they are witnesses of the victory that comes from “looking unto Jesus, the Author and Finisher of our faith”.
Therefore, saints, when you know not what to do, look to Jesus and “wait on the Lord; be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart; wait, I say, on the Lord!” It will be worth the wait!
Thy will, O Lord, be done.
