The blessing of dependence! (Jer 17-20; James 1)

We tend to think independence is a good thing. We train our children to do things for themselves and be independent. But in our striving for independence, we often forget that we are all totally dependent on God! Without His sustaining, we could not take our next breath.

The problem stems back to Adam and Eve who wanted to be like God, they didn’t want to have to depend on God. What struggles this brings, for we are not and are not meant to be God! We cannot do everything, and to realise that is a huge relief. In Jeremiah 17 God warns about the danger of trusting in yourself rather than relying on God. He says:

“Cursed is man who trusts in man and makes flesh his strength.”

But “Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD.” (17:5,7)

What a blessing to know that God is in control, and we don’t have to be, to learn to be content with what He gives us to do and not to feel bad that we cannot do everything.

The problem is, as Jeremiah tells us, we have deceitful hearts (17:9). James warns us of a similar problem, though he calls it double-mindedness (James 1:8). It’s the danger of not fully trusting God, but being pulled between God and the world. James tells us what helps. What helps to produce steadfastness, which is another way of saying, keeping going with God, not giving up. It’s a word that keeps coming up throughout the letter. What helps to produce it? Trials! That’s not what we would write, but that’s a sign this is God’s Word and not ours! God’s Word tells us of the blessing of trials.

Trials help to wean us from the world, and to rely on and love God more. As a result James says we should even count it as joy when we face trials! How different from the world! He’s not saying that we should enjoy suffering, but He is saying we should count trials as joy, because wonderfully God is at work for our good in the trials, helping us to love and depend on Him more, and helping us to loosen our grip on the world more.

It’s a bit like teaching a child to swim, they reach a point where you know they can do it, and you have to prize the armbands off them, or pull your hand out of their grip! How much more greater their joy when they experience the water holding them up and the freedom of swimming without aids. God has to prize us off depending on ourselves, prize us off the love of the world, so that we can experience the joy and freedom of trusting in Him alone.