The Next Right Thing (2 Chronicles 20:12)
By Brent Rinehart
“O our God, will you not execute judgment on them? For we are powerless against this great horde that is coming against us. We do not know what to do, but our eyes are on you” (2 Chronicles 20:12).
When King Jehoshaphat learned that three armies were joining forces to invade Judah, he was rightfully afraid. He didn’t know what to do, but his next steps are a great example for all of us.
He assembled the people, and he began to pray: “O Lord, God of our fathers, are you not God in heaven? You rule over all the kingdoms of the nations. In your hand are power and might, so that none is able to withstand you…If disaster comes upon us, the sword, judgment, or pestilence, or famine, we will stand before this house and before you—for your name is in this house—and cry out to you in our affliction, and you will hear and save. We do not know what to do, but our eyes are on you. (2 Chronicles 20: 6, 9 and 12b).
We do not know what to do, but our eyes are on you.
Do you ever feel like this? The weight of the world is on your shoulders. You don’t know what to do or which way to turn.
I don’t make a habit of taking life lessons from Disney movies, but one of my daughter’s favorite is Frozen 2. In the film, Anna is devasted as she thinks her sister Elsa is dead. She doesn’t know what to do. She sings: “I won't look too far ahead, it's too much for me to take. But, break it down to this next breath, this next step, this next choice is one that I can make. So, I'll walk through this night stumbling blindly toward the light, and do the next right thing. And, with it done, what comes then? When it's clear that everything will never be the same again, then I'll make the choice to hear that voice, and do the next right thing.”
The next right thing. It’s really that simple. We don’t have to know the outcome or what the pathway looks like 20 steps ahead. We have to take that next step and keep moving forward.
For those of us who know the Lord, that next right thing is keeping our eyes on Him and seeking his counsel. We may not know what to do, but there is always something we know we can do. Just like King Jehoshaphat, we can approach the throne of God and seek His wisdom. “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him” (James 1:5).
And, that’s the beautiful thing: God listens and will answer. The Lord answered Jehoshaphat’s prayer. “You will not need to fight in this battle. Stand firm, hold your position, and see the salvation of the Lord on your behalf, O Judah and Jerusalem.’ Do not be afraid and do not be dismayed. Tomorrow go out against them, and the Lord will be with you.”
Whatever battle you are facing today, seek God. You may not know what to do, but you can do the next right thing. You can seek God, and trust that He will listen and answer. “And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:7).
Brent Rinehart is a public relations practitioner and freelance writer. He blogs about the amazing things parenting teaches us about life, work, faith and more at www.apparentstuff.com. You can also follow him on Twitter at @brentrinehart.
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