From Whom Should Believers Not Seek Help?
Just for your Thoughts:
From Whom Should Believers Not Seek Help?
In this earthly life, there may be times when we have to ask certain people for help. There is nothing wrong with asking for help. When someone helps us, we can receive it as an act of human kindness.
However, as believers, it is very important for us to understand from whom we should seek help and from whom we should not seek help. In particular, we need to have a firm conviction that we should not seek help from people whose ways are contrary to our faith and to the ways of God.
The Mistake of Abraham and Elimelech
When a famine occurred in the land of Canaan, the land that God had promised to Abraham, instead of depending upon God in that difficult situation, Abraham went down to Egypt in order to escape the famine.
Likewise, when famine and poverty came upon Bethlehem, Elimelech and his wife Naomi went to the land of Moab instead of continuing to depend upon the Lord.
We need to pay attention to what the Bible says about Moab:
“Moab is My washbasin.”
— Psalm 60:8
The Moabites were characterized by great pride. Arrogance, haughtiness, and self-exaltation were found among them.
“We have heard of the pride of Moab—his very great pride, his conceit, his arrogance and his self-glory; but his boasts are empty.”
— Isaiah 16:6
Furthermore, God had given a very serious command concerning the relationship between the Israelites and the Moabites:
“No Ammonite or Moabite or any of their descendants may enter the assembly of the LORD.”
— Deuteronomy 23:3
Thus, Naomi and her family went to the land of a people who had been under God's judgment and sought refuge there. As a result, the family experienced tremendous loss.
Naomi lost her husband and her two sons.
The Consequences of Wrong Associations
The two sons of Elimelech married women from a people whom God had commanded the Israelites not to marry.
— Deuteronomy 7:1–11
As a result, both women became widows.
We should also remember what happened in Numbers 25. When the Israelite men became involved with Moabite women, 24,000 people in Israel died as a result of God's judgment.
What a tragedy!
A family that had gone to Moab to escape famine and preserve their lives ended up losing their loved ones there.
What a great loss!
Where Should We Stand in Times of Trouble?
During difficult seasons, it is very important to remain where God has placed us and to stand firmly upon His promises.
At times, famine may come into our lives. Poverty may come. We may experience loneliness, separation, disappointment, or various kinds of trials.
But in such circumstances, turning away from God and seeking help through ways that are contrary to God can be dangerous for us.
The Lesson Believers Must Learn
Those who know God and belong to Him need spiritual zeal and a deep commitment to the Lord.
We should never seek refuge, especially for our spiritual needs, in individuals or movements that do not respect our faith or the Word of God, oppose it, or seek to destroy it.
Whatever situation may come—hunger, poverty, loneliness, separation, or any other trial—we should not take refuge in those who reject or hate our Lord.
Likewise, we must be very careful about seeking spiritual help from false believers who teach false doctrines or from ministers who promote teachings that are contrary to God's Word.
In times of trouble, leaving God and seeking refuge elsewhere may ultimately bring dishonor to our Lord.
Let Our Trials Become Our Servants
When trouble comes into our lives, we can do one of three things: we can endure it, escape it, or enlist it.
If we only endure our trials, they may eventually become our masters, and we may become hard and bitter.
If we try only to escape our trials, we may miss the purposes that God wants to accomplish in our lives through those very trials.
But if we learn what God wants to teach us through our trials and learn to use them for our spiritual growth, then our trials will no longer become our masters. Instead, they will become our servants and work for our good.
As the Bible says:
“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him.”
— Romans 8:28
This is the thought expressed by Wiersbe:
when we learn to enlist our trials, they become our servants instead of our masters, and God uses them for our good and for His glory.
Therefore, standing firm where God has placed us, even in the midst of trials, is one of the secrets of victory.
We certainly need a holy zeal and unwavering devotion toward our Lord.
A Prayer
“Lord, in every circumstance, give us the grace not to leave You and seek refuge in the wrong places, but to depend upon You alone.”
May our God grant us such grace!