What Do I Do?

These things happened to [the Israelites] as an example, and they were written for our instruction.
–1 Corinthians 10:11

As pastor of a large church, I hear stories all the time from men and women who find themselves in what seem to be impossible situations. People of all ages and from all walks of life come to me and describe their plight, often with tears of heartache and desperation. Then they ask, “What do I do?”

That is a good question. And trust me, you are not alone in asking it. We all have times when we simply cannot see a way out of our circumstances. Like you, I have cried out to God with that very question when I, too, have been stuck in difficult situations.

What do we do in these moments when our backs are against the wall and we do not know what to do? To answer that question, we turn to the wisdom God has given us in His Word. During the next few weeks, I will show you what I have learned–from Scripture and from experience–about what God wants us to do when we are facing an impossible situation.

Whenever we need a road map to show us what to do in perplexing situations, we can turn to Israel’s journey from Egyptian bondage. Many of the opportunities, obstacles, detours, disappointments, and victories that the Israelites experienced during their wilderness wanderings are similar to our situation as believers.

You may be thinking, “Wait a minute, Pastor. Why are we turning back to the Old Testament for the answer to our current problems? How can we possibly relate in any way to what happened to the Israelites thousands of years ago?”

We look to the ancient Israelites because God preserved their story for us as an object lesson. In fact, Scripture states that God gave us the example of Israel as a guide for us to follow. The Apostle Paul said, “Whatever was written in earlier times was written for our instruction, so that through perseverance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope” (Romans 15:4). And speaking of the specific experiences of the Israelites recorded in the Old Testament, Paul explained, “These things happened to [the Israelites] as an example, and they were written for our instruction” (1 Corinthians 10:11).

The journey of the Israelites provides essential insights for our own spiritual journey as Christians.

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Today’s devotion is excerpted from “Seizing Your Red Sea Moment” by Dr. Robert Jeffress, 2005.

Scripture quotations are taken from the NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE®, Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission.