Do you feel hopeless? Try this!

Faced with a hopeless situation, people will respond in various ways. Some will panic, others will turn into food or alcohol, and others will "commit". For the most part, answering one of these ways won't really solve anything.

As a general rule, any response that does not include prayer will be inadequate. Faced with a crisis, turning to God in prayer should be one of the first things we do. Now, while I expect any person of faith to agree with me on this, here's where we can separate. When you are in difficulty and everything seems dark, I advise you to answer by praying in a very specific way. In times of crisis, I suggest you start your prayers by praising God!

Any response that does not include prayer will be inadequate.

I know it sounds crazy, but let me explain. Although praising God in the storm is counterintuitive, the idea is based on solid biblical principles. A specific incident can be found in the Second Chronicle book.

When he was informed that Judah was about to be attacked by the Moabites, the Ammonites and the Meunites, King Jehoshaphat was rightly concerned. Instead of panicking, however, he wisely "decided to consult the Lord" (2 Chronicles 20: 3). As the people of Judah and Jerusalem joined him in the temple, the king turned to the Lord in prayer. He started by recognizing the infinite power of God.

“The ORD, God of our ancestors, are you not God in heaven and you do not reign over all kingdoms of nations? In your hand there is power and power, and nobody can resist you. "(2 Chronicles 20: 6)

It's nice to start our prayers in this way not because God needs to know that everything is powerful, but because we must know him! This is a great way to increase our confidence in the Lord's ability to take us through the storm. After expressing confidence in the powerful power of God, King Jesoshaphat therefore recognized that the people of Judah were powerless against the approach of the enemy and depended completely on God.

“We are powerless in the face of this vast multitude that comes against us. We ourselves don't know what to do, so our eyes are turned to you. "(2 Chronicles 20:12)

To humbly accept God's help, we must first recognize our weakness. This is exactly what the king is doing. Suddenly, the Holy Spirit ran into Jahaziel (a Levite who was in the crowd) and proclaimed:

“Pay attention, all Judah, inhabitants of Jerusalem and King Jehoshaphat! The ORD tells you: do not be afraid or discouraged at the sight of this vast multitude, since the battle is not yours but of God ”. (2 Chronicles 20:15)

Jahaziel went on to prophesy that the people would emerge victorious without even having to fight against their enemies. This is because the battle was not theirs, but God's. We should feel the same way when suddenly we are thrown into the storm due to illness, job loss or relationship problems. If God brings us to it, it will take us through it. Recognizing that these situations are battles of God is a real turning point. Because? Because God does not lose battles!

Through Jahaziel's mouth, the Lord told people to go out the next day and meet the opposing armies with confidence. The battle had already been won! All they had to do was stay there. After hearing that news, Jehoshaphat and the people knelt and worshiped the Lord. Some Levites arose and sang the praises of God in loud voices.

The next morning, Jehoshaphat led the people to face the enemy, according to the Lord's instructions. As they left, he stopped and reminded them that they had faith in God because they will succeed. So he did something that defied human logic, but was totally in line with God's instructions:

He appointed some to sing at the L ORD and others to praise the holy splendor as he headed the army. They sang: "Thank L ORD, whose love lasts forever." (2 Chronicles 20:21)

The king ordered the choir to go on in the army and sing the praises of God! What kind of crazy battle strategy is that? It is the strategy of an army that realizes that this is not their battle. Doing so has shown that it has placed its trust in God and not in its power. Furthermore, they did not do it because they were irresponsible, but because the Lord had told him. Can you guess what happened next?

The moment their jubilant praises began, the ORD ambushed the Ammonites, the Moabites and those of Mount Seir who were arriving against Judah, in order to be defeated. (2 Chronicles 20:22)

As soon as the people began to praise God, the opposing armies revolted and were defeated. Just as God promised, the people of Judah and Jerusalem were victorious without even having to fight! Although the strategy proposed by the Lord seemed radical, the people obeyed and emerged victorious.

"Triumph of Jehoshaphat over Adad of Syria", as illustrated by Jean Fouquet (1470) for the "Antiquities of the Jews" by Giuseppe Flavio. Photo: public domain
Throughout your life, you will face many situations that seem hopeless. You may find one in front of you right now. In those moments when danger looms on the horizon and the future appears dark, remember what happened with King Jehoshaphat and the people of Judah and Jerusalem. They responded to the impending crisis by praising the Lord and acknowledging that the battle they were facing was not theirs, but his. Instead of being overwhelmed by "what ifs", they focused on the reality of God's love and power.

I have seen this scenario act many times in my life and the Lord has come back every time. Although I don't always want to praise him in the storm, I do it anyway. Almost immediately, my hope is restored and I can continue moving forward, knowing that the battle belongs to the Lord. Try it and see what happens. I am confident that you will see the same results.