"God helps those who help themselves." Who among us hasn't heard that expression? And yet so many people seem to fall into one of two camps: those who believe that everything they do, they do themselves, and those who believe that God's intervention has to look like a bolt out of the blue or a burning bush. There are two jokes I've heard more than once that I think illustrate these archetypes perfectly:
1) A man is circling the mall parking lot, having left his Christmas shopping until the last minute. It's so crowded, there are lines of people just waiting for a space. He bows his head and says "God, if you could please just open up a parking space for me, I promise to devote my life to you." As he circles around another time, he finds a spot just a few yards from the entrance. He looks up and says "Nevermind, God, I found one."
2) After a great deal of rain in a small town, the floodwaters have risen to dangerous levels. One man stands outside of his house in water up to his hips. A neighbor passing by offers him a life jacket, saying "we're headed to higher ground if you'd like to come with us - this will keep you safe." The man declines, saying simply "I have faith in the Lord, and He will rescue me." Later that day, the water has risen much higher, and the man is perched on his second story balcony. Another neighbor passes in a small boat and says "They say it's only going to get worse, and we have room for one more. Will you join us?" The man again declines, saying "I have faith in the Lord, and He will rescue me." That night, the water is so high the man has to move to the roof of his house. A rescue helicopter passes and lowers a ladder. The man shakes his head, shouting up at the pilot, "I have faith in the Lord, and He will rescue me." Finally, the water is so deep, the man's head can barely stay above it, even on the roof. He shouts to God "I have faith - why have you not saved me?" And God replies "I sent you a life jacket, a boat, and a helicopter - what more did you need?"
Today I find myself compelled to talk about the second train of thought. Now, I firmly believe that miracles happen every day. That God heals. That He saves. But I also know that He uses people and situations to do those things. The most visible example in my life is my daughter. Those of you who know me are aware that she was born with a congenital heart defect, called Tetralogy of Fallot. Because of this, she had open heart surgery at 11 weeks of age. Prior to that, we weren't allowed to let her cry, for fear she'd have a cyanotic spell, and she was on medication to keep her alive until the surgery could be performed.
I believed (most of the time - I'd be lying if I said I never despaired) that God would save my baby. I ended my prayers with it every night: "Please don't take my baby." And I believe in the power of prayer. But I didn't wait for an angel to appear and lay their holy hand on her chest. I didn't imagine for a second that a bolt of lightning would strike her and seal up the hole in her heart.
You see, God sent us to the most amazing doctors at Akron Children's Hospital. He had gifted those surgeons with steady hands and incredible talent that led to them having one of the lowest fatality rates for this surgery. God also created scientists and substances that worked together to produce the medications she needed.
This isn't only the case for life or death situations. When I was unemployed, I prayed to find a job. But I also joined job sites, sent out applications, and made phone calls. When I took the bar exam, I prayed about passing it. But I also studied my head off (some days it felt like literally) and took the prep classes.
God isn't a magic vending machine you put prayers into and everything you've ever wanted falls out. (I'm paraphrasing a very witty person who used a similar analogy to explain the "friend zone", and I apologize that I can't find the citation.) Sometimes He does step in and fix things in a way that can't be explained. But much of the time, you have to work toward your goals, too. He'll carry most of the weight, but we still need to do our part.
Sometimes a situation is beyond your control. But when it isn't, do whatever you can. And be sure not to miss the boat (or the helicopter) when it comes.
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